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They threaten to go on a hunger strike if their demand is not met
Published : 20 Apr 2025, 07:03 PM
Protesting students at the Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) have given Vice-Chancellor Mohammad Mashud 24 hours to resign.
The announcement was made during a briefing held around 2:45pm on Sunday at the university’s Student Welfare Centre. The protesting students threatened to go on a hunger strike if the VC did not comply with the ultimatum.
During the briefing, students held up placards demanding the removal of the vice-chancellor.
On Saturday afternoon, the students set fire to a chair, symbolising the VC’s position.
The unrest began after clashes broke out on Feb 18 between members of Chhatra Dal and supporters of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement over a demand to ban student politics on campus. More than 50 students were injured in the violence.
The following day, students locked all academic and administrative buildings. Later that day, the KUET syndicate held a meeting and decided to ban all political activities on campus.
A committee was then formed to investigate the incident as police filed a case against 400 to 500 unnamed individuals at Khanjahan Ali Police Station.
On Feb 20, students held a protest on campus, showing "red cards" to all political student organisations and reiterated their demands for the vice-chancellor’s resignation.
On Feb 23, students travelled to Dhaka and submitted a memorandum to the chief advisor. The memorandum, containing a six-point list of demands, called for justice for those involved in the attacks, also seeking the resignation of the vice-chancellor.
The KUET syndicate held its 99th emergency meeting on Feb 25 and decided to shut all residential halls indefinitely. The next morning, students were instructed to vacate the halls by 10am.
Meanwhile, the investigation committee submitted a report on Apr 13.
On Apr 10, a man named Hossain Ali filed a case against 22 KUET students with the Metropolitan Magistrate Court.
Students resumed their protests on Apr 13 by staging a sit-in in front of the administrative building, demanding the reopening of residential halls.
On Apr 14, the KUET syndicate announced that 37 students involved in the clash would be suspended. They also decided that all residential halls would reopen on May 2, and classes would resume from May 4.
Students issued a single-point demand for Mashud’s resignation on Apr 15. After the announcement, protesting students broke into six male residential halls.
On Apr 16, students held a protest rally on KUET grounds demanding the VC’s resignation. Shortly after the rally, KUET teachers, staff, and employees held counter-protests, forming a human chain to oppose the demand for the VC’s resignation.
