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They also want an impartial inquiry into the recent events under a new authority
Published : 15 Apr 2025, 08:52 PM
Students of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) have shifted their focus to a sole demand for the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Prof Mohammad Mashud, forcing their way into six locked halls amid ongoing protests.
The announcement came at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon at the KUET Student Welfare Centre (SWC).
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, a student said: “The KUET VC has failed to ensure the safety of the students, refused to take responsibility, instigated cases against students, and expelled demonstrators.
“For these reasons, we are shifting our demands from six to one. The removal of this VC is now our only demand.”
They have also called for an impartial investigation into recent events under a committee formed by a new vice-chancellor.
Soon after the briefing, the protesting students took out a procession and broke the locks of six male residential halls.
On Feb 18, clashes broke out between the Chhatra Dal – the BNP’s student wing - and supporters of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement on campus over a demand to halt student politics.
More than 50 students were injured in the clashes.
The following day, the students locked all academic buildings, including the administrative building in protest.
That afternoon, the university's syndicate met and decided to suspend all political activities at KUET.
A committee was formed to investigate the incident. That night, the administration filed a case against 400 to 500 unidentified people at Khanjahan Ali Police Station.
On Feb 20, students held a protest rally on the campus to demand a ban on all political student organisations.
They also demanded the resignation of the vice-chancellor.
On Feb 23, the students came to Dhaka from Khulna and submitted a memorandum to Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.
It included six demands, including the trial of those involved in the violence and the resignation of the vice-chancellor.
On Feb 25, the university syndicate decided to close the residential halls indefinitely at its 99th emergency meeting. All students were ordered to vacate the halls by 10am the next day.
Meanwhile, Hossain Ali, a resident of the Maheshwarpasha North Banikpara area of the city, filed a case against 22 KUET students at the Khulna Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on Apr 10.
On Monday night, the university syndicate held its 101st emergency meeting and decided to temporarily expel 37 students allegedly involved in the Feb 18 clash.
It was also decided that all residential halls would reopen for students from May 2 and all academic activities would resume from May 4.
But, rejecting the syndicate’s decision to suspend 37 students, over 150 students joined Tuesday’s protest programme.
They demanded immediate reopening of the halls and carried placards supporting their call.
The students also demanded the administration publish the full list of the 37 suspended students.
Referring to the events of Feb 18, the students claimed that nearly 150 had been injured in a brutal attack by Chhatra Dal and outsiders, during which gunshots were fired.
They alleged that instead of delivering justice, the university administration filed a case two months later against 42 students who had protested.
They added that Monday’s syndicate decision included instructions to expel the student protesters as well.
“We want to make it clear — we will not tolerate this drama any longer,” said one of the demonstrators. “Our patience has run out. For three days, we’ve been enduring mosquito bites and suffering under the open sky.”
Before breaking the hall locks, students held a rally at the foot of the university’s Durbar Bangla sculpture around 1pm and launched the programme titled “Make KUET Free Again”.
Administrative activities at the university resumed on Tuesday.
Asked about the lock-breaking, VC Mashud said: “The matter will be placed before the syndicate, which will make the decision.”
