Twelve students of Raushanara Jalil Girls' High School at Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria district fell ill yesterday with the symptoms of mass hysteria.

According to school sources, a student of class eight first fell unconscious in the morning and within 20 minutes 11 other students fell ill with the same symptoms.

UNB says: At least 14 students of Boidyapur Secondary School in Jhalakathi fainted with convulsion one after another between 8:00am and 10:00am in their classrooms.

The students -- 13 female and one male --were admitted to Sadar Hospital where doctors could not immediately diagnose what caused them to become unconscious.

The school was declared closed for four days following the incident.

A report from Joypurhat says: Four students of Talimul Islam Academy School and College in the town fell unconscious yesterday morning.

School authorities said the students of class nine fainted almost simultaneously in their classroom around 9:00am. They were admitted to Joypurhat Adhunik Hospital.