United News of Bangladesh

Teachers at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) have called for the resignation of interim Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Md Hazrat Ali, expressing a lack of confidence in his leadership. The demand was made at a press briefing following a general meeting of the Kuet  Teachers’ Association held on Wednesday night at the university’s administrative building. The association also urged the government to appoint a competent VC to resolve the ongoing crisis on campus. As part of their protest, the teachers announced a human chain programme on the campus at 11am on Thursday.  Stalemate at Kuet as teachers continue class boycott General Secretary of the association Prof Dr Md Faruque Hossain said the teachers have lost confidence in Prof Hazrat Ali due to his disregard for university rules and regulations, indifference to student and teacher demands, and failure to perform his duties as the guardian of the institution. “For these reasons, he must resign immediately,” Faruque said. He said  since May 4, teachers have been boycotting classes, and since May 18, they have also abstained from administrative duties to press home their demand for justice against students who assaulted teachers. Despite this, the VC has taken no steps to address their concerns, thereby obstructing the normal academic activities at the university  and aggravating the crisis on the campus. Prof Faruque further said that the VC left for Dhaka on May 19 citing official work and assured the teachers of his return the next day. However, he has not returned since and even sent back the university vehicle he used for the trip. Meanwhile, the official assigned by the VC to manage routine tasks has submitted a written notice stating his inability to perform the duties on Wednesday, effectively leaving Kuet without leadership.  Search committee to appoint new Kuet VC, Pro-VC In this situation, a permanent VC must be appointed immediately, the teachers said. Earlier in the day, from 12pm to 1pm, teachers staged a sit-in in front of the VC’s office and the administrative building. A group of students also expressed solidarity with the teachers. However, another group of students, who have been protesting for the past three months, remained silent and undecided on their next course of action. The ongoing deadlock stems from a violent clash on February 18, after which the university was closed on February 25. In response to student protests and a hunger strike, the government removed the then VC and Pro-VC on April 25. Subsequently, Prof Dr Md Hazrat Ali of Cuet’s Civil Engineering department was appointed interim VC on May 1. Although classes were supposed to resume from May 4 as per the Syndicate’s decision, Kuet teachers have refused to return to classrooms until justice is served for the alleged assault on teachers. The classes and examinations have remained suspended since February 18, affecting around 7,500 students. The new academic session for freshers has yet to begin.  

Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) authorities on Wednesday suspended academic activities until February 28 amid growing tensions between two groups of students over the demand for banning student politics on its campus. The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the university syndicate, officials told UNB. The authorities also decided to expel the students involved in Tuesday’s attack, file cases against outsiders, bear the medical expenses of the injured and ensure the safety of students. Tension high on Kuet campus after clashes over student politics Earlier, some students locked the university’s administrative and academic buildings at 1:30 pm, to press home their 6-point demand, including the resignation of Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Mohammad Masud. A tense situation has been prevailing on the campus as some students confined the VC to the administrative building. Tensions mounted on the campus on Wednesday morning, a day after clashes between ‘general students’ and BNP’s student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) over the demand for banning student politics. The ‘general students’, however, on Tuesday night placed a-five point demand, including resignation of the VC, pro-VC and students’ affairs director. Clashes erupt at Kuet over banning student politics; BGB deployed They threatened to boycott classes and exams, if their demands are not met by 1pm on Wednesday. At 11:30pm, the ‘general students’ also brought out a protest rally and warned that no student politics on the campus would be allowed. They demanded that those attacked them be brought to justice immediately. Earlier, on Tuesday afternoon, at least 50 students were injured in a series of clashes between ‘general students’ and the JCD activists over banning student politics on the campus. Protests, counter-protests in Dhaka over chaos ignited by JCD programme at KUET The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (ADSM) and students of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) held a protest rally on Tuesday night against what they described as the terrorist attack by Chhatra Dal on Kuet students. ADSM organised the rally at Dhaka University's Raju Sculpture, while Buet students gathered at their Shaheed Minar on Tuesday evening.

Jubo Dal has suspended its vice president at Khulna’s Daulatpur upazila unit after video footage showed him carrying a machete during a clash between general students and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) activities on Kuet campus on Tuesday. The BNP’s youth wing Jubo Dal took the action against Mahbubur Rahman after a video showing the Jubo Dal leader carrying the sharp weapon went viral on social media, triggering severe criticism. A notification, signed by Jubo Dal’s central office secretary Nurul Islam Sohel, on Wednesday said Mahbubur was suspended for breaching party disciplines. Leaders and activists of the party have been instructed to avoid him and the party won’t take responsibility for the suspended man's activities, said the notification. Jubo Dal president and general secretary Abdul Monayem Munna and Mohammad Nurul Islam Nayan approved the decision, according to the notification. Tension high on Kuet campus after clashes over student politics Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, at least 50 students were injured in a series of clashes between the general students and the JCD fellows over banning student politics on the campus. At one stage of the clashes, outsiders, said to be BNP men, allegedly joined the JCD members, and attacked the students. Tension gripped Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) campus on Wednesday morning a day after clashes between general students and BNP’s student wing Chhatra Dal over the demand of banning student politics. The general students on Tuesday night placed a five point demand, including resignation of the vice chancellor (VC), pro VC, and students’ affairs director, and issued an ultimatum to press home their demand. They threatened that they will boycott classes and exams, if the demands aren’t met by 1pm on Wednesday. The protesting students gave the ultimatum at a press conference held on the campus around 10:30pm. They demanded that those attacked them be brought to justice immediately.