Kuet withdraws suspension of 37 students, reopens 7 halls as protest demanding VC's removal spreads to other campuses
The administration has not taken any decision on the removal of VC Prof Mohammad Masud
The Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) authorities have withdrawn the suspension of 37 students, who were suspended on 15 April for disciplinary violations on the campus during violent clashes on 18 and 19 February.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, reads a notice issued by Shaheduzzaman Sheikh, public relations officer (Additional Responsibility) of Kuet's Public Relations, Information and Publication Division.
Students had already broken into the said halls on 15 April.
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The developments come amid a continuous hunger strike by a group of Kuet students, demanding the removal of Kuet vice-chancellor (VC).
A group of protesting students held a coffin procession demanding the removal of the VC in the evening.
In the meantime, the protest demanding Prof Masud's removal has spread to other campuses, with a group of students from Jahangirnagar University launching a hunger strike in solidarity with the Kuet protesters.
Earlier last night, a group of students blocked the Shahbagh intersection, demanding the removal of the Kuet VC.
The Kuet administration, however, has yet to heed their demands, despite several protesting students falling sick during the hunger strike amid the ongoing hot weather.
In this situation, Education Adviser CR Abrar today visited the protesting Kuet students and requested them to withdraw their strike. The students, however, refused to do so.
"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.
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.
So far, five of them have fallen ill and been hospitalised, while two others have returned home due to health concerns.
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 February 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.
