Govt aware of protesters' demands, high-level delegation to visit Kuet on Wednesday: Advisers
The education adviser requested the students to call off their strike during a phone call today
The interim government is aware of the demands of the protesting Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) students, Education Adviser CR Abrar said today (22), adding that a delegation will visit the campus soon to discuss the matters.
During a phone call with the students, who have been staging a hunger strike demanding the resignation of Kuet Vice-Chancellor Professor Mohammad Masud, the education adviser also urged the students to call off their strike, reads an education ministry press statement.
The call came soon after one of the protesters fell sick this afternoon and was rushed to the Kuet Medical Center. Several other students had fallen seriously ill before Farin and are currently receiving primary medical care.
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During the phone call, the adviser expressed concern about the protesters' health.
"While talking to the students on the phone, he said the students would fall ill in the hot weather and requested them to call off the hunger strike, considering their physical condition," reads the press statement.
He further assured that the government is aware of the students' demands.
"A high-level delegation will soon go to Khulna to discuss the situation with the Kuet authorities, teachers and students and take steps to resolve the ongoing problems immediately," adds the press statement.
Earlier on the day, in a Facebook post, Adviser Mahfuj Alam said, "The issue of the student movement in Kuet has been discussed with the adviser of the Ministry of Education. He has already spoken to the students."
"A delegation from the UGC will go to Kuet tomorrow to review the situation on the ground. He said that action will be taken as per the rules," he added.
Many fallen sick
Earlier on the day, a student named Farin, who was on hunger strike demanding the resignation of Kuet Vice-Chancellor Masud, lost consciousness hours into the protest.
She lost consciousness around 1:45pm today (22 April) while praying in the Kuet mosque. Farin was then rescued and taken to the Kuet Medical Center.
Several other students had fallen seriously ill before Farin and are currently receiving primary medical care.
The students began their hunger strike at 4pm yesterday (21 April).
Due to the extreme heat and prolonged fasting, many of the 32 students participating in the hunger strike have become physically weak.
However, the students said they will not end their hunger strike without the vice-chancellor's resignation.
The protesting students also said they seek intervention from the current interim government to fulfil their demands.
The students gathered in front of Dr MA Rashid Hall around 3:30pm yesterday.
Protesting Kuet students break into dorms, announce one-point demand of VC's removal
From there, they proceeded to the campus Student Welfare Center with mattresses, pillows, and bed covers, and began their hunger strike at 4pm.
The university's student welfare director, syndicate members, teachers' association president, various department heads, and many teachers were already present at the Student Welfare Center.
When the students arrived, the teachers spoke with some of them and later held a press conference urging everyone to come and negotiate.
The teachers requested that the students withdraw from the hunger strike and join discussions. They repeatedly tried to persuade the students to drink juice.
Despite two-and-a-half hours of effort, they couldn't change the students ' stance.
Eventually, the teachers left.
Before leaving, University Student Welfare Director Professor Abdullah Ilias Akhtar told the students, "We've discussed many things. We wanted one thing - a solution. The incident of 18 February has developed many branches and reached this stage today. So we will continue discussions with you.
"My office is in this building. The door will always remain open. We will come back. Our teachers will come. They will be requested to continue our efforts until the students understand," he added.
One student on hunger strike told the teachers, "There are 32 lives on one side and one position on the other. Now, see which side you want to be on, sir.
"We won't engage in any arguments or anything else. If you say ten things, we'll say implement our single demand; if you say one thing, we'll still say implement our single demand. We've been discussing our situation for a long time, but you haven't seen it," the student added.
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-makingand 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.
