Two Secondary School Certificate (SSC) candidates suffered a knife attack while on their way to an exam centre in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur on Thursday.

Ashik Matubbar, 17, a student of the Maheshwardi High School, and Saim Sheikh, 18, who goes to Bhanga's Government Pilot High School, both hail from the village of Majhardia under Algi union.

On Thursday morning, Ashik and Saim were on their way by van to their designated exam centre for the day, the Government Pilot High School (where Saim is also a student). 

Five CU students freed a week after abduction in CHT

Witnesses said that's when the accused Fahim Matubbar, who has a reputation as a drug dealer in the area, intercepted their van in front of the police station in Kalibari around 9am, and attacked the duo with a sharp, machete-like weapon. Both were stabbed a number of times. 

After the attack ended with Fahim fleeing from the scene, locals in the vicinity rushed the two friends to the Bhanga upazila health complex (UHC).

Doctors at the UHC provided immediate, emergency treatment - and most remarkably - managed to send them back in time to attend the exam. For this they arranged for both students to be transported to the exam centre via an ambulance, accompanied by medical staff.

After completing their exam, they were immediately readmitted to the hospital for further treatment.

4 accused indicted in Magura girl rape, murder case

Ashik identified the attacker as his neighbour, with whom he had a drugs-related dispute dating back eight or nine months. He couldn't however understand why Fahim would choose to revive the dispute all of a sudden.

Dr. Tansiv Zubair, health and family planning officer at Bhanga UHC, said the two students sustained multiple stab wounds. “We initially stitched the wounds to stop any bleeding, and that ensured they were able to sit for their exams.”

Condemning the attack in the strongest terms, exam centre secretary Md Haidar Hossain urged authorities to take exemplary action against the lone accused.

Md Ashraf Hossain, officer-in-charge of Bhanga police station, said a complaint had been lodged, setting the legal process in motion.  Action would follow in accordance with the findings of the investigation now underway, he added.