The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations scheduled for Tuesday have been postponed following the crash of a Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft in Dhaka’s Uttara.

The announcement was made early Tuesday by Information and Broadcasting Adviser Mahfuj Alam, citing the Education Adviser.

Earlier on Monday (July 21), a training aircraft crashed on the campus of Milestone School and College in Uttara. So far, 21 people, including the pilot, have been confirmed dead, and 170 others are receiving treatment at various hospitals.

The tragic incident has plunged the nation into mourning, with many examinees reportedly suffering from psychological trauma. Amid such circumstances, calls grew louder for the postponement of Tuesday’s HSC examinations.

By late Monday night, as the Dhaka Education Board had yet to take any decision, students and guardians expressed strong dissatisfaction. In protest, students from ten prominent institutions in Dhaka—including Notre Dame College, Dhaka City College, and Bir Uttam Lt Anwar Girls’ College—announced a boycott of the exams.

Several student organisations also threatened to take to the streets if the exams were not deferred. Facing mounting pressure, the government eventually announced the postponement.