Demonstrating students lock KUET vice chancellor’s residence

Protesting students have locked the residence of Vice Chancellor of the Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, or KUET, Professor Muhammad Masud.

Around 8pm on Friday, the students gathered in front of the vice chancellor’s residence and locked the entrance after staging a demonstration before leaving shortly after.

The vice chancellor had already left for Dhaka on Thursday, citing medical reasons.

Before locking the empty residence, the protesting students said they had already boycotted the vice chancellor, pro-vice chancellor, and director of student affairs.

They also said their six-point charter of demand had not yet been met.

The students remain firm in their demand for the resignation of these three officials, whom they hold responsible for the attack on them.

As part of their fourth day of protests, students organised a photo exhibition titled “Bloodied KUET 18.02.25” on Friday afternoon.

Held at the student welfare centre, the exhibition showcased images of injured students and moments from their ongoing movement for their six-point demands.

Addressing calls for his resignation, Vice Chancellor Prof Masud told journalists on Thursday afternoon: “If we accept their demands and take all necessary steps accordingly, why should we resign? We are doing what needs to be done to run the university properly and bring order to it.”

According to Shahiduzzaman Sheikh, additional duty public relations officer at KUET, the vice chancellor left for Dhaka on Thursday evening amid the student protests.

He added that the vice chancellor would stay in Dhaka for a day for medical reasons, while his wife and family members had already been there.

The university administration has made Pro-Vice Chancellor Sheikh Shariful Alam the acting vice chancellor.

The student protests erupted after clashes broke out on campus Tuesday afternoon between activists of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and the Anti-discrimination Student Movement over demands to ban student politics.

More than 50 people were injured in a series of confrontations. At one point, the clashes spread outside the campus.

The situation worsened when BNP activists from nearby areas, including Railgate and Teligati, joined Chhatra Dal members, while general students and Islami Chhatra Shibir activists sided with the Anti-discrimination student protesters.

The university administration said five individuals have been detained in connection with the incident.

Later that night, students held a press conference where they put forward five key demands:

a. A university ordinance banning all political affiliations among students, with a lifetime expulsion for violators.

b. Legal and disciplinary action, including expulsion, against those involved in Tuesday’s violence.

c. Deployment of military personnel outside the campus until February 28.

d. University administration covering the medical expenses of injured students.

e. Resignation of the vice chancellor, pro-vice chancellor, and director of student affairs, along with a public apology for their failure to act.

The students set a deadline of 1pm Wednesday for their demands to be met, announcing that all classes and exams would remain suspended until then.

On Wednesday morning, students gathered outside the university medical centre to continue their protest.

By noon, they locked the administrative and academic buildings. At that time, VC Prof Masud was inside the medical centre’s second floor.

Later that day, Pro-Vice Chancellor Shariful confirmed that the university syndicate held its 93rd emergency meeting online, with the vice chancellor attending from the medical centre.

The syndicate decided to ban all political activities on campus.

The pro-vice chancellor added that the university administration would take legal action against outsiders involved in Tuesday’s violence and temporarily suspend students found guilty.

The administration also agreed to cover the medical expenses of injured students and ensure campus security.

To maintain safety, all academic activities will remain suspended until Feb 28, but student dormitories will stay open.

The university formed a four-member committee to investigate the clashes between Chhatra Dal and Anti-Discrimination Student Movement activists.

The committee has been given three working days to submit a report.

On Wednesday night, the university administration filed a lawsuit at Khan Jahan Ali Police Station, accusing 400–500 unidentified individuals of involvement in the attack on students.

As the vice chancellor did not fully accept their demands, the protesting students announced a boycott of the vice chancellor, pro-vice chancellor, and director of student affairs.

They maintained that they no longer have any demands from the vice chancellor and have therefore lifted their blockade on him.

The students also declared that they would not participate in any academic activities under the current administration, citing concerns for their safety.

On Thursday noon, they held a protest rally at the foot of the university’s Durbar Bangla sculpture.

During the rally, students showed red cards to the university administration and all student political organisations, including Chhatra Dal, Bangladesh Chhatra League, Chhatra Shibir, the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, Chhatra Union, and Chhatra Moitree.