Bangladesh, July 3 -- The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations began across Bangladesh on Thursday with 24,784 candidates absent and seven expelled for using unfair means, even as the first day's tests were held peacefully under tightened security measures, according to the Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee.

1,000,120 candidates appeared in the examinations out of 1,024,904 registered candidates. A total of 24,784 candidates were absent, while seven examinees were expelled for adopting unfair means, the committee said.

Among the nine general education boards, 838,864 candidates sat for the Bangla First Paper examination out of 856,097 registered candidates. A total of 17,233 candidates were absent a...