UIU closes indefinitely following VC’s resignation along with 11 department heads

Protesting students have compared the mass-resignation with “holding the university hostage”

The United International University (UIU) has been declared closed indefinitely after its vice chancellor and 11 department heads resigned amid ongoing student protests.

The announcement was made via the university’s verified Facebook page on Sunday night.

Citing Registrar Zulfiqur Rahman, the statement said that all academic and administrative activities are suspended until further notice, in view of the current situation.

Students staged protests throughout Sunday, demanding the withdrawal of resignations by 10 department heads, excluding VC Abul Kashem Mia, and Nurul Huda, Head of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

They also raised demands to reinstate the previous duration of one hour and 45 minutes for midterm exams, and to lower improvement fees.

The protests started on Saturday after dissatisfaction over midterm arrangements and improvement fees. Students demanded the resignation of the CSE Department Head, reinstatement of the original exam duration, and a reduction in improvement fees.

When their demands were not met by their set deadline, they called for the VC’s resignation as well.

The VC and several faculty members were confined to the VC’s office during the protests. Late at night, the VC and 11 department heads submitted their resignations.

Even after they resigned, students accused the authorities of attempting to "hold the university hostage" by staging a mass-resignation, and demanded revisions to the resignation letters.

After several rounds of discussions, the VC and faculty members were allowed to leave the campus around 4:30am.

A student, Mohaiminul Islam told bdnews24.com that while verbal assurances were given that the resignations would be withdrawn, it remains uncertain.

Another student, Sayem, said, “We are demanding the reinstatement of the one-hour-45-minute duration for midterm exams, and the reduction of improvement fees – specifically, setting the fee at Tk 2,000 per subject for midterms and Tk 3,000 for finals."

Abu Sadat Montasirbilla, director of public relations at UIU, confirmed that classes were held on Sunday and expressed hope that issues would be resolved once the board of trustees reassigned administrative responsibilities.