HSC and equivalent exams for Chittagong students to be paused until 16 July amid floods
Chittagong Education Board postpones HSC, madrasa and technical exams in five districts until July 16 amid severe flooding.
In a Nutshell:
- HSC and equivalent exams under the Chittagong Education Board have been postponed until July 16 because of severe flooding and turbulent weather.
- The decision covers general, madrasa, and technical board examinations in Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Rangamati, Bandarban, and Khagrachhari.
- Education adviser Mahdi Amin announced the postponement, saying that the decision was made after discussions with Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon and district administrators.
Why it Matters
The exam postponement comes amid a wider flood emergency in Chattogram division, where heavy rain has caused deaths, stranded hundreds of thousands of people, and severely disrupted transport and daily life. With widespread flooding, landslides, and transport disruptions affecting hundreds of thousands of people, authorities are being forced to adjust essential public services including scheduled exams as part of their emergency response to this natural disaster.
- Postponing the exams reduces travel for students, teachers, and invigilators while flooding, landslides, and transport disruptions continue across the affected districts.
- The decision aligns with ongoing rescue and relief efforts as authorities respond to widespread flooding that has affected more than 9.28 lakh people, caused at least 39 deaths, and left many communities stranded.
- With heavy rain forecast to continue and several districts still at high risk of flooding and landslides, it is highly likely that education and other public services will continue to face disruptions in the short term.
Who it matters to
The exam postponement affects those directly involved in education, but it is also part of a broader move by authorities to keep people safe across the flood-affected region.
- Alongside HSC, madrasa and technical board candidates, parents, and educators also have to adjust to the revised examination schedule in affected areas where commute has become hazardous amidst rising floods.
- While Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Rangamati, Bandarban, and Khagrachhari continue to face flooding, residents are facing multiple challenges such as displacement, transport disruptions, and other issues, limiting access to schools and public services.
- District administrations must balance exam rescheduling with ongoing rescue and relief efforts, while people planning to visit affected areas—particularly Bandarban, where the tourist travel ban has been extended until 15 July—face continued restrictions due to safety risks.