A major error in the British Council-administered IELTS English proficiency test has led to incorrect results for around 80,000 candidates worldwide, according to a report by The Telegraph on December 7. The technical fault caused some failing candidates to be marked as passing, allowing thousands of migrants, students, and healthcare workers to obtain UK visas despite insufficient English skills.

The report also revealed evidence of exam paper leaks in Bangladesh, China, and Vietnam. Conservative Party members in the UK have demanded that ineligible migrants be identified and deported. IELTS authorities attributed the problem to a technical malfunction affecting listening and reading scores, claiming only about 1% of tests were impacted. However, that percentage equates to roughly 78,000 exams. The organization has since contacted affected candidates and reissued corrected results.

The incident raises concerns about the reliability of international testing systems and the potential risks to UK education and healthcare sectors, where English proficiency is critical for safety and performance.

The Ministry of Education of Bangladesh has urged teachers and stakeholders to avoid speculation and maintain professionalism regarding the proposed Dhaka Central University, which aims to integrate Dhaka’s seven government colleges under a unified structure. In a statement issued on December 8, the ministry emphasized that no misinformation should disrupt students’ education or institutional harmony.

Officials said the draft ‘Dhaka Central University Ordinance 2025’ is being finalized after receiving over 5,000 public and stakeholder comments since its publication in September. The ministry has held multiple consultation meetings with teachers, students, and civil society representatives, and expects to hold an inter-ministerial meeting by December 25, 2025, to finalize the draft.

Interim administrative arrangements are in place to ensure continuity of academic activities. Classes for the 2024–25 academic year are scheduled to begin on January 1, 2026. The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to preserving the distinct identity of the seven colleges, protecting staff positions, and ensuring women’s education opportunities remain unaffected.

The Ministry of Education has announced that classes for the first batch of Dhaka Central University, formed with seven government colleges in Dhaka, will begin on January 1, 2025. The ministry confirmed that the draft ordinance establishing the new university is being refined through consultations and will be presented at an inter-ministerial meeting on December 25. An operational manual for interim administration and academic activities has already been approved.

The announcement comes amid ongoing protests by teachers and students over the proposed ‘schooling’ structure of the university. Teachers from the general education cadre fear that the new structure could undermine their promotion rights and the autonomy of the colleges. Meanwhile, some students are demanding swift issuance of the ordinance to ensure legal clarity for their academic future.

The ministry stated it has received over 5,000 opinions from stakeholders and is reviewing them for legal and practical alignment. It assured that academic continuity will not be disrupted during the transition, as classes proceed under existing college frameworks.

The Bangladesh Ministry of Education has issued new guidelines clarifying when and how religious teachers can be appointed in private secondary schools under the updated MPO (Monthly Pay Order) policy. According to the directive, a school may appoint one religious teacher for each faith represented by at least 30 students. The policy was published on Sunday, December 7, by the Secondary and Higher Education Division.

The new rules, outlined in clause 11(21) of the MPO policy, aim to ensure proportional representation of religious instruction based on student demographics. Additionally, clause 11.19 stipulates that candidates for teaching and staff positions in private schools and colleges must not have more than one third division, class, GPA, or equivalent grade throughout their academic career.

Education officials say the move seeks to standardize recruitment and maintain quality across private institutions. The policy is expected to reduce ambiguity in teacher appointments and promote fairness in religious education across Bangladesh’s diverse school system.

The Dhaka Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education has released the 2025 Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) scholarship list. The announcement, made on Sunday, December 7, details that 456 students have received merit scholarships and 3,032 have been granted general scholarships. The list is now available on the board’s official website.

Earlier, the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education issued an official order on November 26 outlining the distribution of merit and general scholarships across nine education boards based on the 2025 HSC results. According to the directive, a total of 1,125 students nationwide will receive merit scholarships, while 9,375 will receive general scholarships.

Recipients of merit scholarships will receive a monthly stipend of BDT 825 and an annual grant of BDT 1,800, while general scholarship holders will get BDT 375 per month and a yearly grant of BDT 750. The initiative aims to encourage academic excellence and support students’ continued education.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Education has released a new ‘Private Educational Institutions (School and College) Manpower Structure and MPO Policy 2025’, introducing major changes for non-government schools and colleges. The policy, published Sunday by the Secondary and Higher Education Division, allows inclusion of honors and master’s level teachers under the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) scheme and revises institutional eligibility indicators. Each class must now have at least 55 students for MPO consideration.

Deputy Secretary Syed A.Z. Morshed Ali said the policy updates BEd scale eligibility, permitting teachers with degrees from private institutions affiliated with the National University or University Grants Commission to receive the benefit. The policy also formally abolishes the senior lecturer post and consolidates earlier amendments. Clause 24 emphasizes professional ethics, prohibiting coaching business and notebook dependency among MPO teachers.

Education stakeholders view the reforms as a step toward standardizing teacher qualifications and institutional accountability. Implementation is expected in 2025, with monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance and quality improvement across private education institutions.

A tense standoff erupted at Baharampur DB Anwara Government Primary School in Rajshahi on Sunday when parents barred assistant teachers from entering the school to conduct exams. The teachers had returned after a weeklong work stoppage but found the gates locked by angry parents, who proceeded to administer the students’ annual exams themselves.

Parents accused the teachers of neglecting their duties and disrupting the academic schedule through repeated strikes, claiming this had harmed students’ learning outcomes. Education officials later intervened, mediating between both sides and allowing the teachers to re-enter the school once the exams had already concluded. Witnesses reported that parents supervised the tests for several subjects during the morning.

Teachers defended their absence as part of a centrally organized protest and expressed frustration at being denied entry. The headteacher confirmed that the misunderstanding was resolved after official mediation, but the incident highlights growing tensions between educators and parents over accountability and the impact of teacher movements on primary education quality.

Train operations on the Dhaka–Mymensingh route returned to normal two hours after a mechanical failure halted services near Sripur in Gazipur on Saturday evening. The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. when the engine of the Dhaka-bound Balaka Commuter train broke down near Satkhamaoir area, disrupting rail communication between Dhaka and Mymensingh until the engine was recovered at 6:40 p.m.

According to Sripur Railway Station Master Md. Shamim, several trains experienced schedule disruptions during the outage, but departures gradually resumed after the faulty engine was removed. Witnesses reported that the train’s engine emitted a loud noise shortly after leaving Kawraid Station, followed by oil leakage that alarmed passengers, prompting many to disembark quickly. Railway and police officials arrived at the scene to assess the situation.

Authorities have confirmed that normal operations have resumed, though minor delays persisted into the evening. The incident highlights ongoing maintenance challenges in Bangladesh’s rail network and the need for improved engine reliability and emergency response mechanisms.

A section of Rajshahi University’s 60th, 61st, and 62nd batches of former students have declared a boycott of the university’s 12th convocation, citing dissatisfaction with the selection of guests and the event’s timing. The announcement came at a press conference held on December 6, where alumni alleged that their opinions were ignored in the decision-making process. University authorities, however, stated that there is no scope to revise the decision.

The convocation, rescheduled for December 17 after two postponements, will feature Education Adviser C.R. Abrar as president and Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud as a guest. Alumni representatives said they had requested reconsideration of the guest list and reopening of registration but received no response. They also demanded transparency regarding the use of convocation fees and related funds.

University officials confirmed that preparations are nearly complete and reaffirmed that the event will proceed as planned. The dispute underscores growing tensions between alumni and administration over inclusivity and transparency in major university events.

The Islamic Arabic University (IAU) has commenced the four-year Fazil Honors examinations across Bangladesh from Saturday, December 6. The exams cover first to fourth-year students in subjects including Al-Quran and Islamic Studies, Al-Hadith and Islamic Studies, Dawah and Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Literature, Islamic History and Culture, and Al-Fiqh and Islamic Studies. Around 12,500 students are participating at 92 examination centers nationwide.

Exam Controller Mohammad Ali stated that strict measures will be taken against any form of malpractice during the examinations. Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Shamsul Alam reported that the exams are proceeding in an orderly and peaceful manner. He emphasized the university’s monitoring efforts to ensure fairness and urged cooperation from students, teachers, and guardians to maintain a cheating-free environment.

The successful conduct of these exams is seen as crucial for maintaining academic integrity within the country’s madrasa education system, reflecting the university’s commitment to transparency and discipline in higher Islamic studies.

The University of Dhaka successfully conducted the 2025–2026 academic year admission test for its Faculty of Business Studies undergraduate program on Saturday, December 6. The exam took place from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. across multiple centers in Dhaka and four other divisional cities—Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Rangpur. A total of 34,062 candidates sat for the test, competing for 1,050 available seats.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmad Khan, accompanied by senior university officials, visited the examination centers and expressed satisfaction over the smooth and disciplined conduct of the test. He noted that the competition was intense, with roughly 33 candidates vying for each seat. The Vice-Chancellor urged parents not to exert undue psychological pressure on their children, emphasizing that admission success is not the sole measure of capability.

Of the total seats, 930 were allocated for business studies students, 95 for science students, and 25 for humanities students. The results are expected to be announced after the evaluation process concludes.

In Noakhali, 243 government primary schools failed to hold their third-term exams due to an ongoing complete shutdown by assistant teachers demanding fulfillment of three key demands. The District Primary Education Office has issued show-cause notices to all teachers involved, citing violation of government service laws and negligence of duty. Officials stated that teachers ignored directives to conduct scheduled exams and even locked school premises, disrupting students’ education. Teachers have been asked to submit written explanations within three working days, or face departmental action. Meanwhile, over 50 teachers leading the movement have reportedly been transferred to other districts, including the president of the Bangladesh Primary School Assistant Teachers’ Association. The strike, which began on November 27, has affected around 65,000 government primary schools across the country, with teachers continuing their indefinite shutdown demanding better pay and service benefits.

Jahangirnagar University has officially renamed several of its residential halls, including one now dedicated to Felani Khatun, a Bangladeshi girl killed by Indian border guards in 2011. The decision was confirmed by Registrar B.M. Azizur Rahman Mukul on Friday, following a syndicate meeting that approved new names for four halls previously named after members of the Sheikh family.

According to the new resolution, Sheikh Russell Hall has been renamed Nabab Salimullah Hall, Sheikh Hasina Hall is now July 24 Jagoroni Hall, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall becomes Sher-e-Bangla A.K. Fazlul Huq Hall, and Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall is renamed Shaheed Felani Khatun Hall. The move follows months of student protests demanding the removal of political family names from university facilities.

The renaming has drawn attention across academic and social circles, seen as a symbolic gesture toward inclusivity and historical recognition. University officials indicated that the changes aim to reflect national diversity and honor figures representing broader social struggles.

Jahangirnagar University has officially decided to rename four of its residential halls that were previously named after members of the Sheikh family. The decision was confirmed by Acting Registrar A.B.M. Azizur Rahman on Friday, following a syndicate meeting held on Thursday. According to the new naming decision, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall has been renamed Sher-e-Bangla A.K. Fazlul Huq Hall, Sheikh Russel Hall is now Nawab Salimullah Hall, Sheikh Hasina Hall has been renamed July Twenty-Four Jagoroni Hall, and Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall is now Shaheed Felani Khatun Hall. The university administration stated that the new names will come into official effect once the syndicate’s approval process is completed. The move marks a significant change in the university’s hall naming policy and has drawn attention within the academic community.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has begun a large-scale military exercise in the Persian Gulf, showcasing advanced artificial intelligence–enhanced defense and attack systems. The drill, codenamed 'Martyr Mohammad Nazeri,' spans the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman, and includes deployment of modern air defense systems such as Nawab, Majid, and Misagh. These systems reportedly use AI to rapidly detect and strike aerial and naval targets with high precision. The exercise sends a dual message—peace and friendship to neighboring states, but a stern warning to the United States and other adversaries against any missteps. The IRGC emphasized its readiness to counter any threat, highlighting Iran’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its defense capabilities. The drill comes amid a long history of Iran-US naval confrontations in the region, with Iranian officials reiterating that hostility from the US and Israel has intensified since the Islamic Revolution. Tehran claims its recent military buildup is a direct response to perceived threats and past attacks on its nuclear and defense infrastructure.