United News of Bangladesh

The results of this year’s Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations will be published on Thursday. The results will be published simultaneously at 2 pm on July 10 , said a press release signed by Professor Dr. Khondoker Ehsanul Kabir, Chairman of the Dhaka Education Board and President of the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee, on Tuesday. HSC examinees to be allowed inside exam centres from 8:30am The results will be available on the official websites of the respective education boards, as well as at all examination centres and educational institutions under their jurisdiction, it said. SSC and equivalent exams were held under the nine general education boards—Dhaka, Rajshahi, Cumilla, Jashore, Chattogram, Barishal, Sylhet, Dinajpur, and Mymensingh, the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board and Bangladesh Technical Education Board.

Seven new assistant proctors have been appointed at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST). An office order, signed by Acting Registrar Kalam Ahmed Chowdhury, confirmed the appointments on Monday evening. The newly appointed assistant proctors are: Dr. Md. Rasheduzzaman, Associate Professor of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Dr. Muhammad Omar Faruk, Associate Professor of the Department of Petroleum and Mining Engineering; Farha Moon, Lecturer in the Department of Architecture; Afsana Begum, Lecturer in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Zubair Ibne Deen, Lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Md. Sadekin Islam, Lecturer in the Department of Statistics; and Mohammad Imran Hossain, Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry. The office order also mentioned that they will be entitled to duty allowances and other benefits in accordance with the rules. The order will take effect from the date of their accession.

The results of this year’s Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations are likely to be published on July 10 subject to approval from the Ministry of Education. Professor SM Kamal Uddin Haider, convener of the Inter-Education Board Examination Controllers' Committee, said, “We have sent a proposal to the Ministry of Education seeking July 10 as the possible date for publishing results of the SSC and equivalent exams,” he said. SUST to launch 13 new departments to enhance academic excellence The results will be published once the ministry gives its approval, he added.

Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) is set to introduce 13 new departments to foster national development and produce skilled human resources.  The new departments include Aeronautical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Material Engineering, Law, Aviation, and Al-Quran and Islamic Studies. Professor Dr. Md. Sajedul Karim, deputy vice-chancellor at the university, confirmed the decision on Wednesday.  He said that the decision to launch 13 contemporary departments in our university in line with the world has been passed by the Academic Council.  These departments will be launched in phases subject to the approval of the University Grants Commission (UGC). Currently, SUST operates 27 departments under six faculties, with no new departments added in the past 17 years, except for Oceanography.  The university is also developing infrastructure, including halls, academic buildings, mosques, and residential facilities. The introduction of these departments is expected to transform SUST into a more comprehensive institution, fulfilling the long-standing aspirations of the people of Sylhet, added the professor. The university has officially requested UGC approval for the new departments, which are planned to commence from the 2026-27 academic year, subject to approval.

A senior teacher at Islamic University has been suspended after 22 female students filed a joint complaint accusing him of repeated sexual harassment. The accused, Azizul Islam, is an associate professor at the Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering. According to the written complaint submitted on June 22, the professor had been engaging in inappropriate behaviour and making illicit proposals to the victims over several academic years. The students alleged that Azizul Islam made sexually suggestive remarks, left obscene messages and even made a video call to one of them via Imo, threatening to give poor marks if she did not respond. Feeling cornered, the students united and lodged the complaint with the department head, Professor Dr AKM Nazmul Huda, shortly after the university reopened following the Eid-ul-Azha holidays. Upon receiving the complaint, the department convened an academic committee meeting, where the allegations were reviewed. JUST teacher suspended over rape charge Talking to UNB, Prof Nazmul Huda said the accusations were found to be true. The university suspended the accused and barred him from all academic activities until further notice, he said. When approached for comments, Azizul Islam said, “I am currently upset. I do not wish to make any comment on this issue.” This incident follows a similar case earlier this year. On May 31, the university’s 268th syndicate meeting expelled Hafizul Islam, a teacher of the Development Studies department, after multiple allegations including sexual harassment, homosexual misconduct, and student abuse were found to be true.

The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education has requested exam centre authorities to allow HSC (Higher Secondary Certificate) candidates to enter the exam centre premises from 8:30am, in a bid to ease traffic congestion and public suffering around the exam venues. In a notice issued on Saturday, the board made the special request to all centre in-charges, aiming to reduce traffic jams and public inconvenience in areas surrounding the examination centres during the ongoing HSC examinations for this year. However, the existing instructions regarding candidates' entry into the examination rooms will remain unchanged, the notice added.

The Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (JUCSU) election has been stayed for the second time, with authorities now setting September 11 as the new date. The announcement came early Friday following a 10-hour meeting chaired by Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Kamarul Ahsan, which continued till 4:30am beginning at 7:30 pm on Thursday. At the meeting, students questioned the administration over the delays accusing them of deliberately postponing the election. The administration was also criticised for not taking disciplinary action against the accused in the July uprising In response, the VC sought additional time to complete the judicial process and, after discussions with university officials, announced a revised roadmap for both the disciplinary measures (against accused) and the JUCSU polls. According to the new plan, final verdicts regarding the temporarily suspended Chhatra League members involved in the July attack will be delivered by August 4, with the election schedule to be announced the same day. Final action against faculty members allegedly linked to the attack will be taken by August 31. JUCSU election set for July 31, army to be deployed if needed A new election commission will also be formed as the previous commission has been dissolved following the postponement. The administration said that a fresh election schedule will be announced on August 20, with voting to take place on September 11. In a reaction, Arifuzzaman Uzzal, convenor of the university unit of Bangladesh Democratic Students' Council, said, "The university administration has repeatedly tried to link justice for the July uprising attackers with the JUCSU election. The polls have been deferred several times already, and now it's been delayed again." “Still, we want to place our trust in this administration one last time,” he added. “We hope they will not betray the students like the authoritarian administration of the past.” Previously, the elections were scheduled for May 21 and July 31 but were postponed on both occasions.

The authorities at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) expelled three female students from the university’s Taposhi Rabeya Hall over allegations of ragging. The accused, all from the Faculty of Agriculture, were handed the penalty in line with Section-7 of the university's ‘Ordinance for Student Discipline.’ According to a notice signed by acting Registrar Md Helal Uddin on Thursday night, accused Maria Sultana Mim was suspended from the hall for one year. Dhaka-Mymensingh rail communication resumes after BAU students lift blockade Two other accused Zubaida Jannat Soha and Ashika Rushda, from the same faculty, were suspended for six months each. The victim is a first-year student from the faculty. Prof Israt Jahan Shelly, provost of the hall, said, “We have received the official order, and it will be served to the accused students soon. No injustice will be tolerated on campus. Ragging is a clear offense. I have submitted all evidence to the vice-chancellor, who maintains a strict stance against wrongdoing.”

The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations under nine education boards will begin on Thursday amid tight security. This year, 1,251,111 students from general, technical and madrasa education streams are expected to take part in the exams at 2,797 centres across the country. The number of candidates has decreased by 81,882 compared to last year. The Ministry of Education has ordered all coaching centres across the country to remain closed until August 15 to ensure a proper exam environment. Several instructions have been issued for the exams: Students must enter the exam halls at least 30 minutes before the exam starts. If a student arrives late for any valid reason, the cause of delay, along with the student's name, roll number, and entry time, must be recorded and reported to the respective education board on the same day. The question paper code will be sent to authorised officials via SMS 25 minutes before the exam begins. HSC exams set to begin June 26: Detailed instructions published No one except the centre-in-charge can carry mobile phones or electronic devices inside the exam centre. The centre-in-charge may carry a mobile phone, but it must be a non-camera device. The Inter-Education Board has also issued the following instructions: ·         Students must be present at the centre at least 30 minutes before the exam begins. ·         Information on the OMR sheet must be filled out correctly. ·         Answer scripts must not be folded. ·         Mobile phones are not allowed inside the exam centres. ·         The multiple-choice and creative sections will be held one after another without a break. ·         Students must pass both theory and practical parts separately. ·         Students can only sit for the subjects listed on their admit cards and cannot take exams at their own institutions. ·         Attendance sheets must be signed. Law enforcement agencies, intelligence services, and local administrations have been asked to stay alert during the exams. Monitoring of social media platforms will also be increased to prevent irregularities.

Dhaka University on Tuesday unveiled a budget of Tk 1,035 crore 45 lakh for the 2025–26 fiscal year. The University Grants Commission (UGC) will provide Tk 883 crore 4 lakh, while Tk 90 crore will come from the university's own income, leaving a deficit of Tk62 crore 41 lakh. DU Treasurer Prof. M. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury explained various aspects of the budget at a press conference. Earlier, on June 16, the budget was approved in the university’s syndicate meeting. In the 2025–26 fiscal year, Tk 293 crore 50 lakh (28.34%) of the total budget has been allocated for salaries; Tk 285 crore 98 lakh (27.62%) for goods and services; Tk 215 crore 91 lakh 43 thousand (20.84%) for various allowances; and Tk139 crore 86 lakh 50 thousand (13.41%) for pensions. Bulk of social assistance to be distributed through digital cash transfer under FY26 budget Meanwhile, in the 2024–25 fiscal year, Tk 20 crore 7 lakh was allocated for research. This time, it has been slightly increased to Tk 21 crore 57 lakh, which is only 2.8% of the total budget. Regarding the research budget, the treasurer said, "Dhaka University does not have freedom in budget formulation. A fixed amount is allocated from the University Grants Commission, and we cannot go beyond that." "A discussion was held before with the chief adviser regarding the research sector. He told us to submit this as a proposal," he said. Usually, after the syndicate meeting approves the budget, it is finally passed in the university's annual senate session. However, this time there has been an exception in holding the senate session.