The Dhaka Education Board has recorded the highest pass rate among Bangladesh’s general education boards in this year’s Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations, while Barishal has posted the lowest, according to results released on Saturday.

Dhaka recorded a pass rate of 61.80 per cent, compared with just 44.84 per cent in Barishal.

The figures were disclosed during a board-wise analysis of the results at a press conference held at the Education Ministry’s conference room at the Secretariat on Saturday.

Across the country’s nine general education boards, 1,048,530 candidates took part in this year’s examinations. Of them, 541,249 passed, resulting in an average pass rate of 51.62 per cent. A total of 35,948 students from these boards achieved GPA-5.

The board-wise results showed that Chattogram recorded a pass rate of 52.07 per cent, followed by Mymensingh at 51.44 per cent and Sylhet at 50.90 per cent.

Cumilla recorded 48.04 per cent, Dinajpur 45.98 per cent, Rajshahi 45.06 per cent and Jashore 44.92 per cent. Barishal ranked last with 44.84 per cent.

Outside the general education boards, the Madrasa Education Board recorded a pass rate of 61.07 per cent, with 54,547 students passing and 3,250 achieving GPA-5.

The Technical Education Board reported a pass rate of 49.43 per cent. A total of 50,889 candidates passed under the board, while 886 secured GPA-5.

Education Minister Dr. ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon inaugurated the results publication process at the press conference. Education Adviser Mahdi Amin, Senior Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division Abdul Khaleque, Technical and Madrasah Education Division Secretary Md. Daud Mia, and chairmen of various education boards and senior officials were also present.

This year’s HSC and equivalent examinations began on July 2, with written examinations scheduled to conclude on August 8. Practical examinations were initially expected to finish by August 15.

However, natural disasters prevented several written examinations under the Chattogram Education Board from being held as scheduled. The postponed examinations were later conducted, extending the board’s written examination schedule until September 9.