Dhaka: BNP on Wednesday extended its solidarity with medical admission seekers’ movement demanding cancellation of the results and retaking the admission tests of MBBS and Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS).

The party also urged the government to meet the students demand for restoring discipline in the education sector.

‘We’d earlier demanded the cancellation of results of the medical and

BDS admission tests as question papers of the exams got leaked. TIB also made the same demand. Many admission seekers are staging various programmes across the country demanding fresh admission tests,’ said BNP spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.

He further said, ‘The medical admission seekers announced ‘Cholo cholo, Dhaka cholo’ (Dhaka March) programme for Thursday to establish their right to education. Our party extends support to their current movement for realising their justified demand.’

Amid the allegation of question paper leak, the results of the admission tests of MBBS and BDS were published on September 20 last with a pass rate of 58.4 percent. A total of 48,484 students passed the examinations held on September 18 this year.

A group of medical admission seekers have been on a movement demanding fresh admission tests since announcement of the results.

Ripon advised the government to be sympathetic to the students’ demand. ‘We don’t think it’ll be a moral defeat of the government if it accepts the demand. Instead, it’ll brighten the government’s image.’

Mentioning that the government was not ousted after meeting the VAT revoking demand of the private university students, he said the government will also not face any trouble if they cancel the medical admission tests.

He also called upon the government to meet the university teachers’ demand for a separate pay scale for them. ‘We again urge the government to meet the demand of the students and teachers to restore discipline and stability in the education sector.’