A student of Laboratory School and College made headlines recently centring her late arrival to the HSC exams on June 26, a day when her mother allegedly fell ill and had to be rushed to hospital.
She arrived at the Government Mirpur Bangla College examination center an hour late, citing that her mother suffered a stroke and needed immediate medical attention. As a result, she did not get the opportunity to sit for the exam.
Soon after, a picture of her breaking down in tears outside the college after being denied a chance to sit for the exams went viral on social media.
Since then, confusion has reigned over the reason she gave for reaching the center late, with various media outlets picking up on the issue.
According to various articles published on Sunday, citing anonymous education board officials, the claim that her mother suddenly fell ill is false.
However, according to education board officials, such news is misleading and incorrect. Rather, two investigation teams formed in this regard are still investigating the matter.
A final decision on whether she will be able to take the exam has not been made, they said.
Not only that, education board officials said it would be inappropriate to comment on the matter at this time, as it may cause the student to endure more mental stress.
Even if she cannot sit for the exam this year, she will have the opportunity to participate in the first and second papers of Bangla as an 'irregular examinee' next year, they added.
"We have not yet received any decision on her retaking that first Bangla paper. The investigation team is working to collect information. It depends on the ministry's decision," Professor Khandokar Ehsanul Kabir, president of the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee and chairman of the Dhaka Education Board, told Stream on Monday afternoon.
After extensive discussion about the incident, Education Advisor Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar said the issue was being examined on 'humanitarian grounds'.
However, Prof Kabir retorted, "There is no precedent for someone getting special arrangements if they miss a public exam. There is no such provision in our existing laws and regulations. Still, the board will act according to the decision taken by the Ministry of Education."
He added that although the student could not sit for the first Bangla paper, she did successfully sit for the second Bangla paper.
"If she gets 66 marks in that exam, she will pass both papers. If she does not, she will get the opportunity to sit for Bangla first and second papers next year as an irregular examinee," he said.
The Dhaka Education Board and the Government Mirpur Bangla College have formed two separate investigation committees to look into her reason for being tardy.
Prof Kabir said, "We want her to sit for the remaining exam and not be mentally broken. This is our effort to ensure that she completes the exams healthily. That is why I am not giving any statement on this issue before the 17th."
When asked about the report of the investigation committee, he did not comment directly, instead saying, "We will inform you after the 17th. It would not be appropriate to comment before that."
When his attention was drawn to news articles that said the investigation had found that the student's reason for being late was untrue, Kabir said he has not released any such statement so far.
"These reports are misleading and incorrect. I have no idea who or what is doing this; I think no one from the board has released such information. The investigation report has been submitted to the board and the matter has been sent to the Ministry of Education. The final decision will be made only after the 17th. The media is requested not to publish misleading headlines or comments without verifying the information," he told Stream.
Meanwhile, Laboratory School and College Principal Asaduzzaman told Stream, "We spoke to the student and her mother. Her mother said she was admitted to hospital that day. She also showed us a medical certificate.
"We have sent a copy of that to the board. A police investigation may be necessary to verify the authenticity of that medical certificate."
Comments