An HSC examinee was expelled on charge of taking unfair means at a centre under Barishal education board on the first day of the Higher Secondary School Certificate and equivalent exams on Thursday.

Moreover, six teachers were suspended for keeping mobile phones with them breaching rules during the exams, said Barishal Education Board Chairman Professor Yunus Ali Siddique.

A total of 57, 358 examinees were expected to sit for the Bengali-1^st paper at 144 centres in six districts under the Barishal division but 1, 029 examinees were absent which is 1.83 percent of the total students, he said.

In line with the health guidelines due to the Covid-19 and dengue, necessary measures were taken to hold the exams peacefully.