Nahid, a student from Matainkot High School, sat for his SSC exam on Thursday while his father’s body lay at home. Following the exam, he returned to his village in Bara Hargila to attend his father’s funeral. The burial, initially scheduled for the morning, was delayed until 2 PM to allow Nahid to complete his exam.

Education Adviser Dr. C. R. Abrar has confirmed that SSC and equivalent exam results will be published within 60 days as per tradition. He assured that all sources of question paper leaks have been sealed. This year, over 1.92 million students are sitting for exams at 2,291 centers across the country. The exams began at 10 AM and will continue until May 13, with practicals scheduled from May 15 to 22.

The Dhaka Education Board announced that students can fill up HSC forms with late fees from April 13 to 21 and must complete payment via Sonali Sheba by April 22. Institutions are responsible for ensuring form completion. HSC exams start June 26 and run through August 10, with practicals from August 11 to 21.

Ahead of the SSC, SSC Vocational, Dakhil, and Dakhil Vocational exams starting Thursday, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police has issued a public notice prohibiting entry of unauthorized individuals within 200 yards of exam centers under Sections 28 and 29 of the DMP Ordinance to ensure a peaceful environment.

The U.S. has revoked student visas of over 400 international students, including five from Bangladesh, for participating in pro-Palestine protests. Senator Mark Rubio claimed many were involved in violent activities. Coordination with universities led to their identification. Restrictions on employment for those involved in protests have also been introduced. Harvard University condemned the move, stating that students were targeted and arrested without its consultation.

The results of the 1446 Hijri academic year Dawra-e-Hadith examinations, held under Al-Hayatul Ulya Lil Jamiatil Qawmia Bangladesh, have been published. The overall pass rate stands at 85.48%.

According to office manager Md. Ashiur Rahman, this year, 32,714 students appeared for the exams—17,743 male and 14,972 female candidates. A total of 27,963 students passed, while 4,751 failed, and 735 were absent.

Among the successful candidates, 15,948 were male, and 12,015 were female. As per examination regulations, merit rankings were separately prepared for male and female students. For every 500 candidates, one has been placed on the merit list, meaning 35 male students and 30 female students have secured merit positions.

Kamal Uddin Haider, the coordinator of the Inter-Education Board Examination Control Committee, has ruled out any possibility of postponing the upcoming SSC exams. He stated that all necessary preparations have been completed. “Most students are in favor of taking the exams as scheduled,” he said, dismissing calls for a delay as a conspiracy by certain individuals on social media. Education board officials emphasized that the April 10 exam date was announced 8-9 months in advance, giving both students and institutions ample preparation time. They described last-minute calls for postponement as unreasonable and a deliberate attempt to disrupt the exams. Meanwhile, some students have requested a rescheduling, citing difficulties in preparing while fasting during Ramadan and demanding at least a three-day gap between each exam.

The U.S. State Department has canceled the visas of nearly 300 international students for participating in pro-Palestinian protests at American universities. Speaking at a press conference in Guyana, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, "We are doing this every day. Whenever we find protesters involved, we revoke their visas." He warned that if this policy continues, there will soon be no protesting students left. "We granted them visas to study, not to become social activists or disrupt our campuses," he added.

A court has issued arrest warrants against former Vice-Chancellor of Jessore University of Science and Technology (JUST) Dr. Abdus Sattar and two others in a corruption case. The other accused are JUST Deputy Director Abdur Rauf and former Pro-Vice Chancellor of Islamic University Dr. Kamal Uddin. The case alleges that in 2009, Dr. Sattar, as the chairman of the recruitment board, attempted to unlawfully appoint Abdur Rauf as an Assistant Director despite lacking the required qualifications. Subsequently, Rauf was irregularly promoted to Deputy Director in 2021, fraudulently drawing approximately 6.1 million BDT in salaries and benefits.

Chittagong University has dismissed two faculty members and a technician. Assistant Mechanical Engineer Hadi Md. Rashid from the Science Workshop was removed for involvement in recruitment irregularities. Meanwhile, Associate Professor Shantanu Debbarman (Economics) and Assistant Professor Rifat Darina Kamal (Public Administration) were dismissed for traveling abroad without permission. According to Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) Prof. Dr. Shamim Uddin Khan, there is no chance of reinstatement. Notably, the two dismissed faculty members did not respond to official communications, signaling their acceptance of the decision.

Professor Dr. Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar, an education advisor, has expressed concern over the stagnation in the quality of primary education despite having adequate infrastructure, qualified teachers, and a reasonably structured salary system.

He stressed that quality education plays a crucial role in reducing social inequality and empowering children. Teachers must ensure that students develop critical skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics in their native language rather than relying on rote memorization. He called for specific feedback on how primary education can be improved.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday aimed at shutting down the Department of Education and transferring educational responsibilities back to state and local governments. The department, which currently employs around 4,400 staff members and operates with an annual budget of approximately $79 billion, serves over 50 million students nationwide. Educators and teachers’ unions have opposed the decision, arguing that the federal government has historically played a crucial role in American education.

Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar (C.R. Abrar), the new education adviser of the interim government, expressed his vision of a future where students can see their prospects and lead the world from within Bangladesh. During his appointment on March 5, Abrar emphasized the need for an education system that fosters equality. Outgoing adviser Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud raised concerns about the previous commissions and lack of training for private-sector teachers, highlighting the importance of a well-structured education system with trained educators.

Education Adviser Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud has announced that all students across the country will receive new textbooks by March 10. Speaking at his farewell event on March 5, he highlighted the challenges faced in stabilizing the education sector. He emphasized keeping the curriculum unchanged for the next two to three years while modernizing it. Additionally, he announced upcoming increases in allowances for MPO-listed teachers and the establishment of a retirement and welfare fund, which will be gradually expanded in future budgets. Dr. Mahmud is set to step down soon.

Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud, Education Adviser, announced that specific educational qualifications will now be mandatory for positions in the managing committees of educational institutions across the country. To be eligible for a school managing committee, candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree, while a Master’s degree is required for a college managing committee position. The move aims to ensure qualified leadership in educational institutions. Additionally, textbooks for non-exam subjects will be distributed by February, with remote areas prioritized, and efforts are being made to arrange teachers’ retirement benefits via bonds.