Education Boards Considered HSC Postponement, Local Administration Pushed to Continue

Despite heavy rains, severe waterlogging, and escalating flood conditions drawing intense criticism from academics, parents, and political groups, the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations went ahead today, Monday (July 13). While the public backlash grows over candidates being forced to wade through knee-deep water or use boats to reach centers, a blame game has erupted between the education boards and local administrations regarding the failure to postpone the exams.

Although the central education boards expressed a clear inclination to suspend the exams due to the adverse weather forecasts, the decision could not be executed because local administrations insisted on carrying on with the schedule.

An anonymous top official from the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee revealed that they had evaluated the situation late into the night with the intent of postponing the exams. However, district and upazila administrations alongside center officials strongly pressured the boards to proceed, assuring that they were fully capable of conducting the examinations. Since central decisions heavily rely on these field-level feasibility reports, the boards had to give the green light, which has now backfired into nationwide criticism.

While top administrative officials from heavily affected districts like Comilla and Noakhali went unreachable on their mobile phones, Comilla Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Fatema Tuz Johra argued that they had sent no written risk reports prior to the exam because the waterlogging occurred suddenly after 4:00 AM. She added that they are currently formalizing a report to the board through the district administration for future steps.

Meanwhile, Professor Syed Akteruzzaman, President of the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee, and Professor Khondoker Mohammad Sadekur Rahman, Chairman of the Madrasah Education Board, both reiterated that central bodies do not unilaterally suspend national exams without a formal local recommendation. They assured that they are closely monitoring the weather and on-ground feedback to make broader collaborative decisions if conditions deteriorate further during the week.