Govt decides to remove Kuet VC Prof Mashud from post in the face of growing protests
Besides, Kuet Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Sk Shariful Alam will also be removed from his position, according to a press statement issued by Ministry of the Information and Communication at around 1:00am tonight (24 April)
The interim government has decided to relieve Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) Vice Chancellor Prof Mohammad Mashud from his duties in the face of growing student protests on various campuses across the country demanding his removal.
Besides, Kuet Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Sk Shariful Alam will also be removed from his position, according to a press statement issued by the Ministry of Information and Communication at around 1:00am tonight (24 April).
"In view of the recent events at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, the process of relieving the vice chancellor and the pro-vice chancellor of the university from their duties has been initiated in order to resolve the crisis that has arisen and to start educational activities quickly," the press statement, signed by the ministry's Public Relations Officer Md Mamun Or Rashid, reads.
"A search committee will be formed immediately to make new appointments to these two positions. In the interim, one of the senior professors will be temporarily assigned the responsibility of the vice chancellor in the interest of continuing the regular activities of the university. This information has been given by the Ministry of Education," it adds.
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Earlier on the day, the Kuet authorities withdrew the suspension of 37 students, who were suspended on 15 April for disciplinary violations on the campus during violent clashes on 18 and 19 February.
In the 102nd Emergency Syndicate meeting held today (23 April), the university administration also decided to reopen seven residential halls which were closed on 25th February.
Growing protests
The developments come as students across campuses began hunger strikes and staging demonstrations demanding Prof Mashud's removal as Kuet VC in solidarity with Kuet students who have been staging a hunger strike since 21 April over the same demand.
Earlier on the day, students at Rajshahi University and Jahangirnagar University launched hunger strikes on their respective campuses in solidarity with the students from Kuet. Later at night, the Bangladesh Democratic Students Council, in a press statement, condemned the interim government for not taking measures to heed the protesting students' demand and announced that they will take a protest march to the Ministry of Education at around 2:00pm today (24 April).
Prior to that, on Tuesday night, students from the Dhaka University blocked the Shahbagh intersection in the capital, demanding Prof Mashud's removal as Kuet VC.
Earlier that day, students from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) and the DU held separate protest rallies in solidarity with the movement of the students of Kuet.
Yesterday morning, a high-level delegation of University Grant Commission (UGC) members, education ministry officials, including Adviser CR Abrar, visited the Kuet students on hunger strike on the campus. During the visit, the adviser repeatedly requested the protesting students to end their hunger strike. But the students refused to withdraw their protest.
"We will take appropriate steps after hearing from you. Legal procedures must be followed; otherwise, decisions taken in haste do not stand in court," the adviser told the protesting students as he visited the Kuet campus this morning (23 April).
He informed the students that the ministry has already formed a committee to look into their demands and that the committee would soon hold discussions with them.
However, the students rejected his appeal, saying they were unwilling to wait any longer.
"We have been protesting for two months, but our demands remain unmet. You may continue with your process, but unless the vice-chancellor resigns, we will not break our hunger strike - even if it kills us," one student said.
The hunger strike began on Monday (21 April) at 3pm with 32 students.
At least five of them had fallen ill and been hospitalised, while two others had returned home due to health concerns.
'Strongly oppose forcing VC to resign': Kuet Teachers Assoc
In the meantime, at a press conference on Kuet campus last afternoon, the Kuet Teacher's Association declared that the removal of the Kuet VC based on the demands of a section of students will not be accepted.
"Since the government has already intervened, if they find any faults or irregularities, they will take necessary action. Otherwise, we strongly oppose forcing a vice-chancellor to resign under pressure from any group," said Md Faruk Hossain, general secretary of the association at the press conference.
He added that teachers will refrain from participating in academic activities until justice is served for the assaults on faculty members.
At the press conference held at Kuet Auditorium, association president Professor Dr Md Shahidul Islam said, "The education adviser visited our campus today. However, he only spoke with the students and did not meet with us, which has deeply disappointed us."
Events that led to the hunger strike
Earlier on 18 February, clashes erupted at Kuet over demands to ban student politics, leaving over a hundred injured. The next day, students locked all academic and administrative buildings.
During an emergency syndicate meeting that afternoon, Kuet authorities decided to halt all political activities on campus and formed a committee to investigate the clashes.
That night, the administration filed a case against 400-500 unnamed individuals with Khanjahan Ali Police Station.
On 20 February, students held a protest rally on campus, displaying red cards to all political student organisations and demanding the vice-chancellor's resignation.
On 23 February, students travelled from Khulna to Dhaka to submit a memorandum to the Chief Adviser, demanding the trial of those involved in the attacks, the VC's resignation, and six other points.
On 25 February, Kuet's highest policy making body, the syndicate, decided to close all residential halls indefinitely during its 99th emergency meeting.
Students were ordered to vacate the halls by 10am the next day, prompting further protests on campus.
On 14 April, at the 101st (emergency) syndicate meeting of Kuet, 37 students were temporarily expelled.
"Following the unfortunate incidents at Kuet on 18 policy-making and 19 February, an investigation committee was formed at the 98th [emergency] syndicate meeting on 19 February. Their sealed report was presented to the syndicate and accepted. The decision was made to expel 37 students accused of involvement in the incident temporarily," said Shaheduzzaman Sheikh, public relations officer (additional duty) of Kuet that day.
At the same time, the matter was referred to the university's Student Disciplinary Committee for necessary action, according to the investigation report.
Additionally, it was decided that all residential halls would reopen for students on 2 May, with classes resuming on 4 May.
Meanwhile, on 10 April, a person named Hochen Ali from the Maheshwarpasha North Banikapara area of the city filed a case against 22 Kuet students in the Metropolitan Magistrate's Court.
