A total of 1,003 students were absent on the first day of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination under the Chattogram Education Board, held on April 21, 2026. The Bangla First Paper exam took place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. across 218 centers in Chattogram and three hill districts, with 1,218 schools participating. The board reported that 106,872 students sat for the first-day exam out of a total of 130,734 registered candidates.

According to the board, the total number of students includes 56,391 boys and 74,343 girls. Among them, 34,991 are from the science group, 43,993 from humanities, and 51,750 from business studies. The board formed 76 vigilance teams—66 general and 10 special—to ensure fair conduct. The exam was reported to have been held peacefully without irregularities.

Board Secretary Professor Mohammad Zahirul Haque Swapan stated that the administration took strict measures to prevent cheating and requested uninterrupted electricity supply from the Power Development Board. The first day concluded successfully in a calm environment.