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Question 1Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which article of the Constitution of Bangladesh declares that all citizens are equal before the law?

  1. Article 27 Correct answer.
  2. Article 31
  3. Article 26
  4. Article 28

Explanation

Article 27 states that all citizens are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of the law. Article 26 deals with laws inconsistent with fundamental rights, Article 28 prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth, and Article 31 protects the right to protection of law. Equality before law is therefore specifically the subject of Article 27.

Question 2Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

The Bengali Language Movement reached its climax in which year?

  1. 1956
  2. 1954
  3. 1948
  4. 1952 Correct answer.

Explanation

The Language Movement reached its peak on 21 February 1952, when students and demonstrators in Dhaka were fired upon while demanding that Bengali be recognised as a state language. The events of that day are commemorated as International Mother Language Day. Earlier agitations in 1948 and later developments in 1954 and 1956 followed or built upon this central event.

Question 3Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which river is known as the Padma after entering Bangladesh?

  1. The Brahmaputra
  2. The Teesta
  3. The Ganges Correct answer.
  4. The Meghna

Explanation

The Ganges enters Bangladesh from India and is known within the country as the Padma. The Brahmaputra is called the Jamuna inside Bangladesh, and the Meghna is a separate river system. The Teesta flows from the north and joins the Brahmaputra system rather than being renamed Padma.

Question 4Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

What is the national flower of Bangladesh?

  1. Rose
  2. Marigold
  3. Water lily Correct answer.
  4. Jasmine

Explanation

The water lily, known in Bengali as shapla, is the national flower of Bangladesh. It grows widely in the country's ponds and wetlands and is associated with national symbolism. Rose, marigold and jasmine are common flowers but do not hold this official status.

Question 5Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Who is the author of the novel 'Pather Panchali'?

  1. Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
  2. Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay
  3. Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay Correct answer.
  4. Manik Bandopadhyay

Explanation

'Pather Panchali' was written by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay and published in 1929. It describes the childhood of Apu and his family in rural Bengal and later formed the basis of Satyajit Ray's first film. The other named authors are major Bengali novelists but did not write this work.

Question 6Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which planet in the solar system is closest to the Sun?

  1. Earth
  2. Mercury Correct answer.
  3. Venus
  4. Mars

Explanation

Mercury orbits the Sun at the shortest average distance of any planet in the solar system. Venus is the second planet and Earth the third, while Mars is the fourth. Despite being closest to the Sun, Mercury is not the hottest planet because it lacks a substantial atmosphere.

Question 7Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which organ of the human body produces insulin?

  1. Pancreas Correct answer.
  2. Liver
  3. Spleen
  4. Kidney

Explanation

Insulin is produced by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. It regulates blood glucose by promoting uptake of glucose into cells. The liver stores glucose as glycogen but does not secrete insulin, and the kidney and spleen have unrelated functions.

Question 8Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which country has the longest international border with Bangladesh?

  1. India Correct answer.
  2. Nepal
  3. Myanmar
  4. China

Explanation

India shares by far the longest international border with Bangladesh, extending over roughly four thousand kilometres around the north, east and west. Myanmar shares a much shorter border in the southeast, and China and Nepal do not border Bangladesh at all. The India border is therefore the longest by a wide margin.

Question 9Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

In a class of 40 students, 60 percent passed. How many students failed?

  1. 16 Correct answer.
  2. 20
  3. 14
  4. 24

Explanation

Sixty percent of 40 is 24 students who passed. Subtracting this from the total of 40 leaves 16 students who failed. Equivalently, forty percent of 40 equals 16, which confirms the result.

Question 10Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which body of the United Nations has the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security?

  1. Security Council Correct answer.
  2. General Assembly
  3. Economic and Social Council
  4. International Court of Justice

Explanation

Under the UN Charter, the Security Council bears primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It can impose sanctions, authorise peacekeeping and adopt binding resolutions. The General Assembly debates broadly but its resolutions are generally non-binding, while the Economic and Social Council and the International Court of Justice have different mandates.

Question 11Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

A sum of money doubles itself in 8 years at simple interest. What is the annual rate of interest?

  1. 8 percent
  2. 15 percent
  3. 10 percent
  4. 12.5 percent Correct answer.

Explanation

If a sum doubles under simple interest, the interest earned equals the principal. Using the formula interest equals principal times rate times time, we get one principal equal to principal times rate times 8, so the rate is one divided by 8, or 12.5 percent per year.

Question 12Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which Mughal emperor is credited with building the Lalbagh Fort in Dhaka?

  1. Aurangzeb Correct answer.
  2. Shah Jahan
  3. Akbar
  4. Jahangir

Explanation

Construction of the Lalbagh Fort complex in Dhaka was begun in the seventeenth century during the reign of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, under the supervision of Prince Muhammad Azam Shah. The fort remained unfinished and is now a major heritage site. Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan ruled earlier and are not associated with founding this fort.

Question 13Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

The term 'suffrage' in political science refers to which of the following?

  1. The immunity of legislators from prosecution
  2. The power to amend a constitution
  3. The authority to dissolve a parliament
  4. The right to vote in elections Correct answer.

Explanation

Suffrage means the right to vote in political elections, and universal suffrage describes the extension of that right to all adult citizens regardless of wealth, sex or other restrictions. Constitutional amendment power, legislative immunity and dissolution of parliament are separate constitutional concepts. The term is therefore tied specifically to electoral participation.

Question 14Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which of the following is the correct chemical formula of common table salt?

  1. NaHCO3
  2. KCl
  3. CaCO3
  4. NaCl Correct answer.

Explanation

Common table salt is sodium chloride, written as NaCl, formed from sodium and chlorine ions in a one-to-one ratio. NaHCO3 is sodium bicarbonate, KCl is potassium chloride and CaCO3 is calcium carbonate. Only NaCl corresponds to ordinary table salt.

Question 15Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

A train 150 metres long crosses a pole in 15 seconds. What is its speed in kilometres per hour?

  1. 45
  2. 30
  3. 54
  4. 36 Correct answer.

Explanation

Crossing a pole means the train covers its own length, so the speed is 150 metres divided by 15 seconds, which equals 10 metres per second. Multiplying by 3.6 converts this to 36 kilometres per hour. The other values correspond to different speeds and do not follow from the given figures.

Question 16Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which article of the Constitution of Bangladesh provides for the office of the Ombudsman?

  1. Article 102
  2. Article 77 Correct answer.
  3. Article 118
  4. Article 76

Explanation

Article 77 of the Constitution of Bangladesh empowers Parliament to establish the office of the Ombudsman to investigate complaints against public officials. Article 76 deals with the parliamentary Ombudsman provision being enabled by law in a different context of Parliament's staff, Article 118 concerns the Election Commission and Article 102 covers writ jurisdiction of the High Court Division. The Ombudsman provision is specifically located in Article 77.

Question 17Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which gas is most abundant in the Earth's atmosphere?

  1. Oxygen
  2. Nitrogen Correct answer.
  3. Argon
  4. Carbon dioxide

Explanation

Nitrogen makes up roughly 78 percent of the Earth's atmosphere by volume, while oxygen accounts for about 21 percent. Carbon dioxide and argon are present only in small fractions. Nitrogen's abundance is due to its relative inertness, which allows it to accumulate over geological time.

Question 18Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

The Battle of Plassey in 1757 was fought between the forces of the Nawab of Bengal and which power?

  1. The French East India Company
  2. The Portuguese
  3. The Dutch East India Company
  4. The British East India Company Correct answer.

Explanation

The Battle of Plassey was fought between the forces of Siraj-ud-Daulah, Nawab of Bengal, and the British East India Company under Robert Clive. The Company's victory established its political dominance in Bengal. French, Portuguese and Dutch forces were present in India at the time but were not the principal combatant at Plassey.

Question 19Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

If the ratio of two numbers is 3:5 and their sum is 64, what is the larger number?

  1. 45
  2. 24
  3. 40 Correct answer.
  4. 32

Explanation

The ratio 3:5 divides the total into 8 equal parts. Dividing 64 by 8 gives 8 per part, so the larger number is 5 times 8, which equals 40 and the smaller is 24. Adding 40 and 24 confirms the total of 64.

Question 20Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which of the following is a fundamental principle of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted in 1948?

  1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights Correct answer.
  2. Rights are granted only to citizens of sovereign states
  3. Rights depend on the economic status of a person
  4. Rights may be suspended at the discretion of any state

Explanation

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. The Declaration is universal in scope and does not limit rights to particular citizens or economic classes, nor does it permit arbitrary suspension. This founding principle underpins the entire document.

Question 21Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which of the following best explains why Bangladesh experiences frequent flooding during the monsoon?

  1. It lies in a delta with high rainfall and flat, low-lying land Correct answer.
  2. Its rivers flow entirely within the country
  3. Its coast is protected by high mountain ranges
  4. Its rivers carry little sediment and remain deep

Explanation

Bangladesh occupies the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta, where heavy monsoon rainfall coincides with flat, low elevation and enormous upstream river discharge. These combined conditions make the country highly prone to flooding. Sediment actually raises riverbeds, mountains do not shield the coast, and the major rivers are international rather than confined within the country.

Question 22Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

A shopkeeper marks an item 25 percent above cost and then gives a 20 percent discount. What is the resulting profit or loss?

  1. No profit and no loss Correct answer.
  2. A profit of 5 percent
  3. A profit of 10 percent
  4. A loss of 5 percent

Explanation

Let the cost be 100. A 25 percent markup gives a marked price of 125, and a 20 percent discount reduces it by 25, returning the selling price to 100. The selling price equals the cost, so there is neither profit nor loss. The markup and discount percentages cancel because the discount applies to the higher marked price.

Question 23Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which of the following is the most accurate description of the doctrine of separation of powers?

  1. The executive may legislate whenever parliament is not in session
  2. The judiciary is subordinate to the executive in all matters
  3. Legislative, executive and judicial functions are assigned to distinct organs that check one another Correct answer.
  4. All state authority is concentrated in a single elected assembly

Explanation

Separation of powers holds that legislative, executive and judicial functions should be entrusted to distinct organs that exercise mutual checks and balances. Concentration of all authority in one body describes the opposite arrangement, and judicial subordination to the executive contradicts the doctrine. Temporary executive lawmaking is an exception in some systems rather than the doctrine itself.

Question 24Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

A sum invested at compound interest becomes 1.21 times itself in two years. What is the annual rate of interest?

  1. 12 percent
  2. 21 percent
  3. 10 percent Correct answer.
  4. 11 percent

Explanation

Under compound interest the amount equals the principal multiplied by one plus the rate squared over two years. Since the growth factor is 1.21, the square root is 1.10, giving an annual rate of 10 percent. Applying 10 percent compounded over two years yields exactly 1.21 times the principal.

Question 25Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which of the following best captures the significance of the Six Point Movement of 1966 in the political history of Bangladesh?

  1. It was a purely cultural campaign for language rights
  2. It sought the merger of East Pakistan with India
  3. It demanded immediate independence through armed struggle
  4. It articulated autonomy demands that reshaped Bengali political consciousness Correct answer.

Explanation

The Six Point Movement of 1966, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, set out demands for greater autonomy for East Pakistan, including separate fiscal and monetary arrangements and a militia or paramilitary force. It crystallised Bengali political consciousness and set the stage for the mass upsurge of 1969 and the election of 1970. It was not an armed independence call, a merger proposal or a cultural campaign.

Question 26Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which language movement event is commemorated by International Mother Language Day on 21 February?

  1. The Sanskritisation of official records
  2. The introduction of English as a court language
  3. The demand to recognise Bangla as a state language Correct answer.
  4. The adoption of Arabic as a script for Bangla

Explanation

International Mother Language Day honours the students killed in Dhaka in 1953 while campaigning for Bangla to be recognised as a state language of Pakistan. UNESCO adopted the date in 1999 to celebrate linguistic diversity worldwide.

Question 27Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

What is the value of 15 percent of 240?

  1. 36 Correct answer.
  2. 24
  3. 32
  4. 45

Explanation

Fifteen percent means fifteen parts out of one hundred, so multiply 240 by 0.15. The product is 36, which is the required value.

Question 28Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which vitamin is produced in human skin on exposure to sunlight?

  1. Vitamin D Correct answer.
  2. Vitamin K
  3. Vitamin C
  4. Vitamin A

Explanation

Ultraviolet light converts a cholesterol derivative in the skin into a precursor that the body later activates into vitamin D. This is why limited sun exposure supports bone health by aiding calcium absorption.

Question 29Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which of the following is the currency of Japan?

  1. Yuan
  2. Ringgit
  3. Yen Correct answer.
  4. Won

Explanation

Japan's official currency is the yen, issued by the Bank of Japan. Its symbol is a capital Y with two horizontal strokes, and it is one of the most traded currencies in the world.

Question 30Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which of these is a prime number?

  1. 21
  2. 29 Correct answer.
  3. 27
  4. 33

Explanation

A prime number has exactly two factors, one and itself. The number 29 is not divisible by any integer between 2 and 5, so it has no other factors and is prime.

Question 31Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which sea port handles the largest share of Bangladesh's overseas trade?

  1. Chattogram Port Correct answer.
  2. Payra Port
  3. Pangaon Inland Terminal
  4. Mongla Port

Explanation

Chattogram Port on the Karnaphuli is the country's principal seaport and handles the great majority of import and export cargo. The other ports are smaller or serve specialised functions.

Question 32Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which document announced the independence of Bangladesh in March 1971?

  1. The Lahore Resolution
  2. The Mountbatten Plan
  3. The Delhi Agreement
  4. The Proclamation of Independence Correct answer.

Explanation

The Proclamation of Independence, issued in March 1971, formally declared Bangladesh a sovereign state and constituted a provisional government. It is regarded as the constitutional foundation of the war of liberation.

Question 33Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

A rectangle has a length of 12 cm and a width of 5 cm. What is the length of its diagonal?

  1. 17 cm
  2. 15 cm
  3. 13 cm Correct answer.
  4. 11 cm

Explanation

The diagonal of a rectangle forms the hypotenuse of a right triangle whose legs are the length and width. By the Pythagorean theorem, the square root of 144 plus 25 equals 13 cm.

Question 34Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which of the following is an input device?

  1. Monitor
  2. Plotter
  3. Speaker
  4. Scanner Correct answer.

Explanation

An input device sends data into a computer for processing, and a scanner converts printed images or text into digital form. Plotters, monitors and speakers all deliver output from the machine to the user.

Question 35Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which of these is a renewable source of energy?

  1. Diesel
  2. Wind Correct answer.
  3. Coal
  4. Natural gas

Explanation

Renewable energy comes from sources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. Wind is continuously generated by atmospheric processes, unlike fossil fuels whose stocks are finite.

Question 36Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

If a number is increased by 20 percent and the result is 96, what was the original number?

  1. 86
  2. 80 Correct answer.
  3. 72
  4. 76.8

Explanation

Let the original number be x, so 1.2x equals 96. Dividing 96 by 1.2 gives x equal to 80, which is the starting value before the increase.

Question 37Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which of these is the correct order of the layers of the Earth from the surface inward?

  1. Mantle, crust, inner core, outer core
  2. Crust, outer core, mantle, inner core
  3. Outer core, mantle, crust, inner core
  4. Crust, mantle, outer core, inner core Correct answer.

Explanation

The Earth is layered by composition and physical state, beginning with the thin rocky crust. Below it lies the silicate mantle, then the liquid outer core, and finally the solid inner core.

Question 38Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Who wrote the novel 'Pather Panchali'?

  1. Rabindranath Tagore
  2. Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay Correct answer.
  3. Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
  4. Manik Bandyopadhyay

Explanation

'Pather Panchali' is a Bengali novel by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, published in 1929. It was later adapted into a celebrated film by Satyajit Ray.

Question 39Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which of the following is the largest organ of the human body?

  1. The lungs
  2. The skin Correct answer.
  3. The brain
  4. The liver

Explanation

The skin covers the entire body and accounts for the greatest surface area and mass among organs. It serves as a protective barrier, a sensory surface and a regulator of temperature.

Question 40Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

A car travels 180 kilometres in 3 hours. What is its average speed?

  1. 60 km/h Correct answer.
  2. 54 km/h
  3. 50 km/h
  4. 65 km/h

Explanation

Average speed equals total distance divided by total time. Dividing 180 kilometres by 3 hours gives 60 kilometres per hour.

Question 41Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

The Sundarbans is best described as which of the following?

  1. A desert region in the north-west
  2. A freshwater lake in the central plain
  3. A hill tract in the south-east
  4. A mangrove forest in the coastal south-west Correct answer.

Explanation

The Sundarbans is the world's largest contiguous mangrove forest, lying in the coastal delta along the Bay of Bengal. It is famous for its saline-tolerant trees and its population of Bengal tigers.

Question 42Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which of these is a correct use of the past perfect tense?

  1. She had finished the report before the meeting began. Correct answer.
  2. She has finished the report before the meeting began.
  3. She will finish the report before the meeting began.
  4. She finishes the report before the meeting began.

Explanation

The past perfect tense uses 'had' plus the past participle to describe an action completed before another past action. Since the meeting began in the past, the earlier completion requires 'had finished'.

Question 43Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which international organisation was established in 1945 to promote peace and cooperation among states?

  1. The United Nations Correct answer.
  2. The European Union
  3. The League of Nations
  4. The Commonwealth of Nations

Explanation

The United Nations was founded in 1945 after the Second World War to maintain peace and foster cooperation. Its charter was signed in San Francisco and came into force that year.

Question 44Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

What is the next number in the sequence 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ...?

  1. 36
  2. 42 Correct answer.
  3. 40
  4. 44

Explanation

Each term equals the product of its position and the next integer: 1x2, 2x3, 3x4, and so on. The sixth term is therefore 6 times 7, which equals 42.

Question 45Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which of the following best describes the role of the Speaker in a parliamentary system?

  1. To preside over the legislature and maintain order impartially Correct answer.
  2. To act as the ceremonial head of state
  3. To conduct judicial review of legislation
  4. To lead the ruling party's parliamentary strategy

Explanation

The Speaker presides over sittings of the legislature, applies its rules of procedure and is expected to act impartially. The office is distinct from party leadership and from judicial functions.

Question 46Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

If 5 workers can complete a task in 12 days, how many days will 10 workers take, working at the same rate?

  1. 8 days
  2. 4 days
  3. 6 days Correct answer.
  4. 10 days

Explanation

The total work equals 5 workers times 12 days, or 60 worker-days. Dividing 60 worker-days by 10 workers gives 6 days, showing that doubling the workforce halves the time.

Question 47Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which of these statements about the Constitution of Bangladesh is accurate?

  1. It has never been amended since adoption
  2. It cannot be amended under any circumstances
  3. It was adopted in 1972 and has been amended several times Correct answer.
  4. It was framed entirely by the British Parliament

Explanation

The Constitution of Bangladesh was adopted by the Constituent Assembly in 1972 and came into force on 16 December that year. It has since been amended numerous times through the prescribed procedure.

Question 48Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

A sum of money earns compound interest at 10 percent per year. By what percentage does it grow over two years?

  1. 22 percent
  2. 19 percent
  3. 21 percent Correct answer.
  4. 20 percent

Explanation

Compound growth multiplies the principal by 1.10 twice, giving a factor of 1.21. The overall growth is therefore 21 percent, which exceeds the simple sum of the two annual rates.

Question 49Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

In a group of 30 students, 18 play cricket and 15 play football, while 6 play neither game. How many play both games?

  1. 6
  2. 12
  3. 3
  4. 9 Correct answer.

Explanation

Since 6 play neither, 24 students play at least one game. By the inclusion-exclusion principle, the number playing both equals 18 plus 15 minus 24, which gives 9.

Question 50Preliminary Examination (প্রাথমিক পরীক্ষা)

Which of the following best explains why the monsoon arrives in Bangladesh with high humidity?

  1. It carries moisture picked up over the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal Correct answer.
  2. It originates in the dry interior of Central Asia
  3. It is driven by cold polar air moving southward
  4. It forms from local evaporation over the Himalayas alone

Explanation

The summer monsoon draws warm, moisture-laden air from the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal towards the land. As this humid air rises over Bangladesh, it cools and produces heavy rainfall.