A clash broke out in Shahbagh on Tuesday between police and candidates of the 47th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination protesting the rescheduling of the written test.
Police used water cannons and sound grenades to disperse the protesters, leaving several candidates injured, with one reportedly taken to a hospital.
The confrontation occurred as the candidates, marching from the National Martyrs’ Memorial toward the residence of the chief adviser, demanded a revised exam schedule. During the protest in front of the Shahbagh National Museum, protesters also vandalized a police vehicle.
As tensions rose, the protesters took position near the passenger shed beside Dhaka University Central Mosque, causing severe traffic congestion on the road from Raju Sculpture to Shahbagh.
Commuters, patients, and travelers faced significant disruption.
Earlier in the day, candidates had staged demonstrations by burning tires and pouring petrol over themselves to demand more preparation time for the written exam.
Protesters said the gap between the preliminary and written exams is unusually short compared to previous years. Sajib Pal, one of the protesters.
They said earlier BCS exams allowed 6 to 15 months between preliminary and written exams. This time, they have only about two months, which is insufficient for full preparation.
