The government on Wednesday postponed the Higher Secondary Certificate and equivalent examinations which were scheduled to be resumed from August 11.

The education ministry on the day issued an order in this regard.

The order reads that for unavoidable reasons the HSC and equivalent exams from August 11 have been postponed and the new schedule of the exams will be announced later.

Bangladesh Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee chairman Tapan Kumar Sarkar informed New Age on Tuesday that some question papers of the exams had been damaged which were at various police stations across the country.

He also said on the day that they had informed the education ministry about the situation.

Due to the ongoing student protests, the authorities had previously suspended the HSC and equivalent exams for all 11 boards from July 18 to August 10 in phases.

The exams, which were rescheduled to be held between August 11 and September 18, almost a month later of its original schedule, are now to face further delays.

Meanwhile different educational institutions, including universities, across the country reopened on Tuesday amid very low attendances of students.

On Wednesday the presence of the students was also low.

All government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous offices, private establishments and educational institutions reopened from Tuesday while curfew remained in force till 6:00am on the day, said a press release of Inter Services Public Relations Directorate issued on Monday night.

The announcement came hours after Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India amid mass uprising led by student protesters.

On July 16, the government announced the indefinite closure of all secondary and higher secondary educational institutions.

The University Grants Commission of Bangladesh and National University subsequently closed all public and private universities and colleges for an indefinite period.

On July 17, the primary and mass education ministry announced the indefinite closure of government primary schools in city corporation areas, extending to all primary schools by July 20.