Protest Suspended After 10 Hours, New Program to Be Announced Tonight

Following a tumultuous ten-hour blockade that triggered severe traffic gridlocks and sporadic clashes across the capital, protesting Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) candidates have announced a temporary suspension of their street demonstrations tonight. However, the students emphasized that they remain steadfast in their demand for the immediate resignation of Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon, warning that a fresh operational program will be declared later tonight.

A representative of the demonstrating students made the announcement at around 9:30 PM on Tuesday (July 14) outside the National Parliament building. Following the formal declaration, the remaining students cleared the area, allowing vehicular movement to return to normal on the critical thoroughfares surrounding Manik Mia Avenue.

The high-stakes agitation began earlier in the day at around 11:45 AM, when a large crowd of students gathered at the capital’s Science Laboratory intersection to press home their three-point charter of demands. The students subsequently marched toward the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban (National Parliament), completely blockading the roads adjacent to Manik Mia Avenue.

Although law enforcement personnel initially requested the students to vacate the capital's high-security zone, the demonstrators refused to budge, leading to visible tension between both sides. The situation quickly degenerated into a series of chases and counter-chases. Protesters alleged that the police resorted to a baton charge to disperse the crowd, resulting in injuries to several students.

As law enforcement successfully cleared the perimeter directly in front of the parliament building, agitated students retreated toward the Aarong intersection near Asad Gate. Some demonstrators reportedly pelted brickbats at the police units, prompting another round of police actions that eventually pushed the crowd back to the main Asad Gate crossing.

The core demands of the HSC Batch of 2026 remain entirely unchanged, focusing on a total exam suspension until the ongoing natural disasters and adverse weather conditions fully recede, the arrangement of specialized makeup examinations for candidates who failed to attend their centers during Monday’s torrential downpours, and the immediate removal or stepping down of Education and Primary & Mass Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon.

Announcing the suspension of Tuesday's protest, a student coordinator clarified the movement's stance, stating that their movement will remain active until the Education Minister officially steps down from his post. He noted that while the street blockades for the day had concluded, they would formulate their final strategy tonight and communicate tomorrow's operational schedule, which will likely entail a comprehensive long march either toward the National Parliament or the Shikhsha Bhaban.