United News of Bangladesh

The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and its equivalent exams have begun across the country except in Sylhet division this morning. The exams in Sylhet division will start from July 9 as Ministry of Education deferred the  board’s exams due to flood. The examinees under the Sylhet Board will sit for Bangla-I, II and English-I and II papers as per new routine to be announced later, said Sylhet Education Board Chairman Rama Bijoy Sarkar. A total of 14,50,790 students from nine general Education Boards, Madrasha Board and Technical Board are expected to sit for the exams from 9,463 educational institutions at 2,275 centres across the country, according to authorities. HSC, equivalent exams begin Sunday; over 14 lakh candidates to appear Among them, 11, 28,281 students are supposed to appear from nine general boards, 88,076 from madrasha board and 2, 34,433 from Technical Board respectively. Some 281 students will appear for the examination from eight overseas centres. Like the previous years, all coaching centres were asked to keep closed from June 29 till August 11.

Jahangirnagar University (JU) has announced a budget of Tk 318 crore 44 lakh for the financial year 2024-25. University  Treasurer Professor Rasheda Akhtar presented the budget in the 41st annual senate session organized at the senate hall of the university on Saturday. This year, the size of the budget increased by Tk 24.28 crore compared to the previous year's Tk 294.16 crore budget. CCC announces Tk 1,981 crore budget By analysing the budget allocation of the university, it was seen that an allocation of Tk 189.87 crore 87 has been allocated for salaries and allowances, which is 64.55 percent of the total budget. Taka 74.24 crores were allotted for goods and services while Tk31.90 crore for pension and retirement benefits which are 25.24 percent and 10.84 percent of the total budget. Tk 7.22 crore has been allocated for research and innovation which is only 2.45 percent of the total budget. There is an allocation for teachers' research and innovation, but no separate allocation has been kept for students. The teachers and students say, "Most of the allocated amount will go towards the salaries of the officers and employees. Therefore, it is not possible to meet the needs of students with this money. Budget analysts believed that the amount of allocation should be increased to make the university a research university. The total income of this year's budget will be achieved by a grant of Tk 279 crore 12 lakh from the University Grants Commission (UGC), while Tk 39.32 crore will come from the university's internal sources. The internal source includes selling admission forms, fees from students, internal assets, and other sources. National budget yet to pass, many things can be revised: Finance Minister tells critics Treasurer Professor Rasheda Akhtar said, "Currently the deficit in the revenue fund is Tk 65.87 crore. There may be a revenue deficit of approximately Tk 12 crore in the current financial year. A balanced budget has been formulated as per UGC guidelines. Budgeting is literally impossible under such financial pressure. As the deficit increases, it will become difficult for the university to carry out its normal activities."

The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and its equivalent exams will begin across the country on Sunday. A total of 14,50,790 students from nine General Education Boards, Madrasha Board and Technical Board are expected to sit for the exams from 9,463 educational institutions at 2,275 centres. Among them, 11,28,281 students will appear from nine General Boards, 88,076 from Madrasha Board and 2,34,433 from Technical Board. GPA-5 without taking an SSC exam: Ctg Board fails 2 students All coaching centres will remain closed from June 29 till August 11. Last year, a total of 13,59,342 students sat for the examinations from all boards. Some 281 students will appear for the examination from eight overseas centres. According to the routine, HSC written exams will continue till August 11 and practical exams will be held from August 12 to August 21 Besides, the examinations under the Technical Board will continue till July 18 and their practical exams will begin on July 19 and will continue till August 4. HSC exams in Sylhet division postponed till July 8 due to flood All examinees have been asked to enter the exam centers 30 minutes before the examinations start and the concerned will be informed about the question paper code through SMS 25 minutes before the exams start. No one will be allowed to enter the exam centers with mobile phones, only in-charges of the exam centers are allowed to carry a mobile phone set. Besides, no one except examinees, center invigilators , teams of the ministry, teams of boards, local administration and upazila administration team and security personnel will be allowed in the exam centres. Quick Response Team (QRT) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) will be ready to help the examinees during their Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations. Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Additional Commissioner (Traffic) Md Munibur Rahman shared the information at a press conference on the occasion of HSC and equivalent exams at DMP Media Center on Thursday.

 State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Rumana Ali on Friday said thousands of dreams must be spread in the minds of children. “Children are the future artisans of Smart Bangladesh and the beacon of the nation. They have to spread thousands of dreams in their minds and hearts,” she said. The state minister was addressing a programme arranged by Bangladesh Girl Guides Association at Guide House Auditorium in the city’s Bailey Road. She said the children should be inspired and motivated with patriotism, dutifulness and human values. In this regard, the role of the girl guides is important, she added. The junior minister distributed Neel Kamal Award among 10-year girls (Yellow birds). 31 girls received crests and certificates from her. The programme was followed by a cultural soiree, said a PID handout. Former senior secretary Zuena Aziz and Director General of Madrasa Education Directorate Habibur Rahman were present at the function presided over by National Commissioner of the Girl Guides Association Kazi Zebunnessa Begum.

Quick Response Team (QRT) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) will be ready to help the examinees during their Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations. Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Additional Commissioner (Traffic) Md Munibur Rahman shared the information at a press conference on the occasion of HSC and equivalent exams at DMP Media Center on Thursday. Munibur Rahman said the HSC, Alim and Vocational exams will start next Sunday (June 30). "This time the examinations will be held in 80 examination centres in the capital. Every year, a significant number of students participate in the HSC examination and this exam is an important event for us," he added. He said the DMP always tries its best to support candidates during the HSC and equivalent examinations. "A separate quick response team will be prepared in each zone of the DMP Traffic Division to deal with any difficulty of the candidates," Munibur added. He urged the city dwellers not to interrupt the examinees by honking around the examination centres and to refrain from reckless driving. The police officer also sought the full cooperation of the respected citizens to maintain order in traffic and avoid traffic jams.

Jashore University Science and Technology has decided to expel 9 students from various departments for their involvement in kidnapping job applicants and torturing residential student overnight. Disciplinary actions have been taken against a total of 13 students under the country's prevailing laws. The information was conveyed through a press release issued by Mohammad Abdul Rashid, Deputy Director of JUST's Public Relations Department. This decision was made during the 100th (special) session of the Regent Board's forum at the administrative building of JUST on Tuesday afternoon. At the beginning of the session, Vice-Chancellor Dr. M. Anwar Hossain addressed recent incidents at the university. He highlighted that during the meeting of the Lift Operator Recruitment Board on December 7, 2023, and later on June 4, 2024, incidents were reported to the Regent Board members. During the Regent Board session, Mohammed Belal Hossen from the Finance and Banking department, GM Raisul Haque Rana from the Pharmacy department, Nripendra Nath Roy, Mushfiqur Rahman, Fahim Faysal Labib, and Mohammed Abu Bakkar from the Physical Education and Sports Science department were expelled from the university under the "Rules of Discipline for Students" guidelines for their involvement in the kidnapping incident. However, Fahim Faysal Labib is currently not enrolled as a student. Therefore, appropriate legal measures have been taken against him under the country's prevailing laws. On the other hand, Sohel Rana, Redwan Ahmed Jisan, Md. Bipul Sheikh, Ishad Hossen, Md. Ashikuzzaman (Limon), and Md. Aminul Islam from the Physical Education and Sports Science department, and Mohammed Belal Hossen from finance and banking department and Md. Raihan Rahman Rabbi from the Physics department were also expelled from the university for the physical and mental torture of Sharin Rahman, a student of the Physical Education and Sports Science department.

A total of 154 primary schools across the country are ready for upgrading the primary level up to class VIII and 1000 more schools will be added in the next three years, said Primary and Mass Education Secretary Farid Ahmed on Tuesday. “According to the education policy of 2010, primary education will be upgraded to the eighth grade. It will be implemented in phases. It is a matter of coordination with the Department of Secondary and Higher Education. And the Education Ministry plays an important role in policy making,” he said while speaking at a press briefing held at the Secretariat. Referring to the recent decision of upgrading the primary school level up to class VIII, Farid said “We can start it in 5,000 schools out of 65,566 primary schools across the country and there are around 23,000 primary or secondary schools, which can be made free up to class VIII, to implement the government decision fully.” To implement this, they have to undergo three challenges—infrastructures, teachers recruitment and their training, he added. Replying to a question on when grade VIII primary will be fully implemented in all schools, Farid said “A number of issues are involved in it and already we have started our work to implement the decision of the government setting a target for three years.” Besides, about 150 schools have students numbering 10-50 students. Considering the real situation, a decision will be taken to keep these schools integrated or running with the adjacent schools, the secretary said. “Our target is to set up an elementary school in the catchment area. It's all over the world. We have already identified that around 150 schools have 10-50 students but we will not merge or close all schools in a hurry,” he added. Already the ministry is working in this regard and necessary decisions will be taken after considering the reality. Noting that ten new school buildings will be inaugurated in Dhaka in July, the secretary said about 81 percent new school buildings were built across the country and still 20 percent school buildings are in dilapidated condition. In Dhaka, there are 342 government primary schools and 342 new buildings will be built in the next three years. “Already over 200 master plans of new buildings were approved and the construction work of 50 buildings is underway and all the primary schools buildings in Dhaka will be turned into a beautiful school in the next three years,” he said.

The officers and employees of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) have blocked the vice-chancellor p\Prof. Sattyaprashad Majumder for abolishing the policies of 2015 regarding the promotion of the employees and demanding retraction of the previously active policies named policy-2015. The employees and officers block the vice chancellor on Monday afternoon (June 24) demanding the withdrawal of the notification which was issued yesterday (June 23) regarding their promotion. The notification order reads, “In the 540th meeting of the Syndicate held on December 27 last year, it was decided that no officer/employee of this University shall be considered for promotion, selection grade, senior grade scale availability after 27-12-2023 through Policy-2015.” It further reads that the promotion, selection grade, senior grade scale to those already provided through policy-2015 will remain unchanged. Those who have already been given promotion, promotion, selection grade, senior grade scale through Policy-2015, on termination/ resignation/ removal/ dismissal, their non-organogram posts will automatically lapse and non-organogram posts will become vacant. And the promotion will be immediately provided to those who are apt according to the UGC requirement and organogram. During the protest the employees were seen chanting slogans to retract the previously active policies regarding promotion.   

Primary and secondary schools will reopen on June 26 as the Education Ministry has curtailed the summer  vacation by one week. However, Saturday will remain as weekly holiday, said a release of the Ministry issued on Thursday. According to the academic calendar, the Eid-ul-Azha and summer vacation in schools started on June 13 and was scheduled to continue till July 2.    

The government has postponed the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and its equivalent exams in Sylhet division till July 8 due to the ongoing flood situation. Tapan Kanti Sarkar, Chairman of Dhaka Education Board and Inter-Education Board, confirmed the decision to UNB on Thursday. The HSC exams will begin in Sylhet division from July 9, he said. HSC exams in Sylhet’s flood-hit areas to be held later: Education Minister About one lakh HSC examinees are scheduled to appear for the exams this year from Sylhet. According to the routine, HSC and its equivalent exams are scheduled to begin on June 30 across the country. A total of 14,50,790 students from nine General Education Boards, Madrasha Board and Technical Board will sit for the exams from 9,463 educational institutions at 2,275 centres. HSC exams to begin from June 30; Coaching centres to remain shut from June 29 to Aug 11 Earlier, Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury Nowfel hinted that the HSC and its equivalent exams will be held later in Sylhet if the region sees severe flooding.