9 Natore and Bogura Students Allowed to Take HSC Exams Following Education Minister’s Intervention; Accused Arrested

Photo: Collected

News Desk: Following the immediate intervention of Education and Primary & Mass Education Minister Dr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Haque Milon, nine students, eight from Natore and one from Bogura, have finally been allowed to sit for this year's Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations.

The students, who were unable to take the first day's examination due to the alleged embezzlement of their registration fees and technical errors, will now be able to participate in the remaining examinations as regular candidates starting Saturday.

Meanwhile, police have arrested Amit Kumar Sarkar, an office assistant at Abdulpur Government College in Lalpur, Natore, over allegations of embezzling students' HSC registration fees.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Education on Friday, eight HSC candidates from Abdulpur Government College had paid their examination registration fees but were unable to sit for Thursday's Bangla First Paper exam because their admit cards had not been issued. The ministry said the college office assistant had collected the money from the students but failed to deposit it with the education board, allegedly misappropriating the funds. The matter came to the Education Minister's attention after it was widely reported in the media.

Dr. Milon immediately contacted Professor Dr. Shamim Ara Chowdhury, Chairperson of the Rajshahi Education Board, and directed her to take urgent measures to ensure that the affected students could continue their examinations.

Following the minister's instructions, the Rajshahi Education Board completed the registration and other necessary formalities for the eight students under a special arrangement on Friday. As a result, they will be able to sit for all remaining examinations as regular candidates from Saturday. The minister also thanked the media for bringing the issue to public attention.

To ensure legal action against those responsible for the alleged embezzlement, the Education Minister spoke by phone with Natore Superintendent of Police Mohammad Shariful Haque and Lalpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shafiqul Islam. Following the minister's directive, police arrested the accused office assistant, Amit Kumar Sarkar. A case against him is currently being processed at Lalpur Police Station. Additionally, a three-member investigation committee, headed by Associate Professor Abdullah Al Mahmud of the Chemistry Department at Abdulpur Government College, has been formed to conduct a full investigation into the incident.

In a separate case, the minister also intervened after receiving a complaint from a student in Sariakandi, Bogura, who had been unable to take Thursday's examination despite paying the registration fee on time due to an error in the registration number entered by the college authorities. Dr. Milon immediately contacted the relevant education board officials and instructed them to resolve the matter without delay. Following his intervention, the student's registration was completed on Friday, allowing the student to participate in the remaining HSC examinations as a regular candidate beginning Saturday.