The HSC and equivalent examinations began peacefully throughout the country this morning with over 10.5 lakhs examinees expected to appear in the exams.

Today is the first day of the tests that commenced from 10:00am with the exam of Bangla first paper – being held amidst a nationwide blockade of the BNP-led 20-party alliance.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid visited an examination venue – Viqarunnisa Noon School – during the tests and told journalists that the exams started peacefully throughout the country without any report of untoward incident anywhere.

Unlike the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations which were held only on Fridays and Saturdays for the 20-party's agitation programmes, HSC tests will continue as scheduled defying the hartals and blockades.

The minister has told students to sit for the tests without any anxiety and asked the law enforcement agencies to provide complete security for the examinations.

This year, a total of 5,70,993 boys and 5,02,891 girls registered for the HSC and its equivalent exams at 2,419 centres under 10 education boards. The theoretical exams would end on June 11 with the practical exams beginning on June 13.