Over two dozen students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) who hadn't eaten in seven days ended their hunger strike on Wednesday. The students embarked on fast-unto-death on the university campus on January 19, demanding the resignation of SUST Vice-Chancellor Farid Uddin Ahmed over police crackdown on their fellows. Around 10.20am on Wednesday,  the students broke their fast after former SUST Professor Muhammad Zafar Iqbal gave them water to drink. The eminent writer and his wife Yesmeen Huq, also a former SUST teacher, came to the university in Sylhet from Dhaka around 4am and met the protesting students. Read: SUST teachers’ association urges govt to probe ‘police action’ on students “We met a high-level delegation at our residence over the issue and they assured us of meeting your demands. What you want will be fulfilled,” Prof Zafar told the protesting students. "Life is so precious. Why do you want to sacrifice your life for one person? It’s just not acceptable. You have promised me before the media to break your fast. So do it," he told the students. Prof Zafar also condemned the arrest of five alumni of SUST for allegedly sending money to the protesters at the university. "I got Tk 10,000 for a write-up on the occasion of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary. I will give you the money. Now let the police arrest me," he told the protesting SUST students.

Even though the indefinite hunger strike by 24 students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) rolled into day four, there has been no headway in breaking the 10-day standoff. Campus sources said 17 students have been admitted to different hospitals in the city, including Osmani Medical College and Hospital (OMCH) till Saturday noon as they fell sick due to the hunger strike and shivering cold. The protesting students vowed to continue their strike until the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Farid Uddin Ahmed. The students brought out a symbolic coffin procession on the campus on Saturday afternoon. They started the march from the university's Golchattar area. Dr Md Mostakim, a physician of OMCH said, 15 doctors have been giving treatment to the students on the campus. “The glucose level of some students has dropped while the blood pressure of some others fell substantially. We’ve given them saline. Those who’re falling seriously ill are being referred to hospitals.” Read: Exams scrapped, students block busy Dhaka crossing If they refrain from taking food for a longer time, their physical problems will increase, he added. Two ambulances were seen at the spot to deal with emergencies. Dipu Moni’s drive On Friday, Education Minister Dipu Moni talked to the students and said she wants a solution to the crisis as soon as possible.

Students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Sylhet staged demonstrations on the campus on Monday demanding the resignation of Vice Chancellor Farid Uddin Ahmed protesting the ‘police action on them’. The students started gathering on the campus Monday morning although the university was declared closed for an indefinite period on Sunday following a clash. They brought out a possession and chanted slogans on different roads inside the campus. Meanwhile, some students were seen leaving their dormitories as per the authorities’ instruction while many others refused to leave and joined the protest rally.  Read: SUST shut after police-student clash, despite controversial provost's resignation

Braille, a tactile writing system, is the only way for the visually impaired to survive in this world. A group of students at Sylhet's Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) has just taken it to the next level -- by developing an electronic Braille device that's more affordable. The six-member team from Robsust, the university's robotics organisation, has, in fact, designed iBraille that allows the blind to read written documents or even PDF files effortlessly on any digital device -- be it a mobile, a laptop or a desktop computer. Read:SUST support to help students shun stress The members of the team are Moaz Mohammad Abdul Karim, Irfan Nafiz Shahan, Al-Mubin Khan Nabil, Tasnuva Chowdhury, Arnab Paul and Pramit Dey. According to the team, this device converts handwriting or digital writing into Braille.

A female student of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) was stabbed by a mugger in Surma residential area near BGB gate in Sylhet city early Sunday. The injured was identified as Saima Alam, a student of Civil and Environmental Engineering department of the university. Read: SUST support to help students shun stress Sources at the university said Saima was stabbed in the left leg by an unidentified mugger when she reached the university dormitory from Sylhet railway station around 5.30 am. She was later rushed to MAG Osmani Medical College and Hospital. University Proctor Associate Professor Dr Alamgir Kabir said provost of the first female student hall of the university Prof Zayeda Sharmin informed the proctorial team of the incident. “We have visited the inured student and now she is doing well.” Read: SUST buzzing again as dorms reopen He said that the law enforcers have already been informed by the university authority.

After nearly 18 months, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) will reopen its residential halls to students in phases starting from October 25. SUST Vice Chancellor Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed announced the date after the 167th Academic Council meeting of the university on Tuesday afternoon. Read: Flowers & banners welcome students as DU reopens dorms According to the decision of the Academic Council, postgraduate students will be able to enter the hall on October 25.  Final-year undergraduate students will be let in on October 26, third-year students on October 27, second-year students on October 28, and first-year students on October 29. However, only those students who have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 jab will be allowed to enter the residential halls on production of the vaccine card. Read: Kuet dorms to reopen on October 22 Physical classes may begin in some departments from the first week of November. However, online classes will continue, the VC said.

As many as 58,541 Covid-19 tests have been carried out at the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) in the past one year. Of the suspected patients, 9,527 have tested positive. Sources told UNB that the university has been getting samples of suspected Covid patients from hospitals and clinics across the four upazilas of the district and Sylhet city since it set up a specialised laboratory in May last year. "We also get samples of overseas returnees in Sylhet," sources said. Researchers at the laboratory have also unvieled the genome sequence of Covid-19 after collecting samples from four districts of Sylhet division. Last year only, they submitted 10 genome sequence to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Database (GISAID), which was published on December 31. Read: SUST team's genomic data on Sylhet Coronavirus strains published by GISAID Prof Dr Mohammad Shamsul Haque Prodhan, Head of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Department, said, “Like many developing countries, we are proud of providing necessary health services to the people of Sylhet. Our big achievement is ‘confidence and reliability’ and we assure hundred percent transparency. Till now, no faulty results have been published and the team is working relentlessly and even during holidays like Eid." Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed, vice-chancellor of SUST, said, “The SUST laboratory is a reliable place for people of the north-eastern region. Those who work at the laboratory are dedicated researchers." On May 18 last year, the specialised laboratory for detecting Covid-19 was inaugurated at the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) under the Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology for providing health assistance to the people of the division. Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen had inaugurated the laboratory virtually. The government had earlier asked education authorities to set up RT-PCR test facilities at SUST, Dhaka University, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. Situation in Bangladesh Covid-19 claimed 32 more lives in Bangladesh in the past 24 hours till Monday morning, raising the number of fatalities to 12,181. Read: Covid-19 claims 32 more lives in Bangladesh, new cases 698 Besides, health authorities found 698 more people corona positive over the same period after testing 10,347 samples. With the latest figure, the total number of positive cases in the country has now climbed to 780,857, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).    

Mentioning teachers as the lighthouses of a nation, President Abdul Hamid urged all to come forward to play their due role in making the universities in Bangladesh as world-class ones.

SUST, Oct 26 (UNB) – Five examinees were detained for adopting unfair means in the entry tests of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology on Saturday.

Sylhet, Sept 27 (UNB) – A two-day international conference began here on Friday emphasising enrichment of Bangla language by protecting it from distortion.