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Published : 24 Apr 2025, 04:25 AM
The education ministry has initiated the process to relieve the Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) Vice-Chancellor Prof Muhammad Mashud and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof SK Shariful Alam of their duties, according to the information and broadcasting ministry.
The ministry confirmed the development in a media statement issued at midnight on Wednesday.
It also noted that a search committee will be formed to appoint successors to both positions.
The press note, signed by information ministry spokesperson Md Mamun Ur Rashid, reads: “In light of recent events at the university, the process of relieving the vice-chancellor and pro-vice-chancellor of their duties has been initiated to resolve the crisis and promptly resume academic activities.”
It also said that, in the interim, a senior professor from the university will be appointed as acting VC to maintain normal operations.
Students at KUET have been protesting for several days demanding the resignation of the VC.
A group of them have been on hunger strike for the past three days.
Earlier in the afternoon, a syndicate meeting decided to lift the expulsion orders of 37 students and reopen all residential halls.
The meeting also reaffirmed that academic activities at the university will resume on May 4 as previously announced.
Meanwhile, amid the student movement, Education Ministry Advisor CR Abrar reached the KUET campus at around 9:45am on Wednesday.
He was greeted by students chanting anti-VC slogans. He spent about 40 minutes speaking with students, including those on hunger strike.
During the conversation, student leaders explained how their original charter of six demands had narrowed into a single demand - the removal of VC Mashud.
Abrar had previously contacted the students by phone on Tuesday to check on their health.
Meanwhile, a three-strong team from the University Grants Commission (UGC) was expected to visit the campus on Wednesday to assess the situation.
The crisis dates back to Feb 18, when demands to ban student politics triggered clashes between activists of the Chhatra Dal and the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, injuring over 50 students.
The following day, students locked down all academic and administrative buildings. In response, KUET’s syndicate suspended all political activities on campus and formed a committee to investigate the violence. A case was later filed at Khan Jahan Ali Police Station, accusing 400–500 unidentified individuals.
On Feb 20, students symbolically showed a red card to all political student organisations and called for the VC’s resignation. They later submitted a memorandum to Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka on Feb 23, which included calls for justice and the VC’s removal.
On Feb 25, the university’s syndicate held an emergency meeting and decided to close all residential halls indefinitely. Students were instructed to vacate by 10am the next day.
A full investigation into the clashes was completed and submitted on Sunday. Meanwhile, a local filed a separate case against 22 KUET students at a Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court.
The movement reignited on Apr 13, when students began an indefinite sit-in in front of the administrative building demanding the reopening of residential halls.
On Apr 4, the syndicate announced the suspension of 37 students allegedly involved in the clashes. They also decided to reopen all residential halls from May 2 and resume academic activities from May 4.
On Apr 15, students moved to press for a single demand: the resignation of VC Mashud. That same day, they broke the locks on six residential halls for male students and re-entered.
On Apr 16, students staged a protest march on campus and later held a symbolic event where they burned an effigy of the VC’s chair.
On Apr 20, the students gave a 24-hour ultimatum for the VC to resign. When the deadline passed without any development, they launched their hunger strike.
