United News of Bangladesh

The government is forming a search committee to appoint a new Vice-Chancellor (VC) and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Pro-VC) for Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet), as part of efforts to resolve the ongoing crisis at the university. A press release issued by the Ministry of Education on Thursday said the current VC and Pro-VC are being relieved of their duties to help restore normal academic activities at Kuet. Process begins to remove KUET VC and pro-VC  In the meantime, a senior professor will be appointed as acting VC to ensure the smooth functioning of the university’s daily operations, it added.

Teachers of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) have decided not to return to classes unless their three-point demand including justice over the February 18 attack on students and teachers is fulfilled. The decision came from an emergency meeting of  Kuet Teachers’ Association held on Thursday where members of the association agreed to boycott academic activities until those involved in the assault on the teachers including the Vice-Chancellor are identified and brought to justice. The association rejected the ongoing student protest demanding the resignation of the Vice-Chancellor terming the demand “unjustified” and “based on baseless and unrealistic allegations,” said a press release issued by the association on Sunday. The teachers expressed concern over the alleged attempts to destabilise the campus by spreading misinformation. Kuet urges calm, condemns hall break-in amid tensions On February 18, a group of ‘outsiders’ launched an attack on general students on the Kuet campus, injuring several. The attackers also reportedly harassed the VC and other faculty members during the unrest. Teachers have been demanding proper investigation and accountability since the incident. In response to the recent developments, the association has formed a five-member inquiry committee led by Mechanical Engineering department professor Dr Abdullah Al Faruque to investigate the physical assault and cyberbullying against teachers. The committee will submit a detailed report to the university administration for further action. In a statement signed by association president Dr Md Shahidur Rahman and general secretary Dr Md Faruq Hossain, the teachers reaffirmed their unity and warned against any attempts to impose authoritarian control on campus in the guise of student movement. 15 sued over 2017 assaults at Kuet; ex-VC, pro-VC among accused

Students of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) on Tuesday afternoon broke the locks of several residential halls and entered the premises, intensifying their ongoing protest with a single demand- the resignation of Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Muhammad Mahmud. At around 3 pm, the protesting students broke the locks of Khan Jahan Ali Hall, Dr M A Rashid Hall, Amar Ekushey Hall, and Lalon Shah Hall, reclaiming access to their living spaces after being locked out by the university authorities amid unrest on the campus. Earlier, at around 1:45 pm, students held a press briefing at the KUET Student Welfare Center where they formally announced their one-point demand. “Since the VC has failed to ensure students' safety, denied responsibility, cut off essential services like water and internet, encouraged legal action against protesters, and suspended students unfairly — we now declare the removal of the VC as our only demand,” a student representative stated during the announcement. They also called for an impartial investigation into recent events under the supervision of a new Vice Chancellor. Kuet suspends 37 students over February clash The protest began on Sunday (April 13) as students demanded the immediate reopening of the halls and the resumption of academic activities. On Monday night (April 14), following an emergency Syndicate meeting, KUET authorities announced that halls would reopen on May 2 and classes would resume on May 4. However, students rejected this decision, calling it unreasonably delayed. Today, KUET also resumed some official activities on campus. The movement has its roots in the February 18 campus clash, which led to the temporary suspension of 37 students. Protesters have since demanded the withdrawal of the suspensions and action against the actual perpetrators.

A section of students of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) locked the main entrance of the Vice-Chancellor’s (VC) residence on Friday night and vowed to continue their movement demanding his resignation. They rejected the decision of the university’s 98th syndicate meeting on Friday night. The students also sent a letter to the Chief Adviser demanding the removal of Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Masud and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Shariful Islam. They locked the residence of the VC and refuted allegations that they had harassed the VC, calling it false propaganda. There is no evidence, not even a single video, showing that the students physically assaulted Dr Masud they treated him with due respect, they claimed. Students also alleged that despite syndicate decision banning student politics, such activities continued on campus, they alleged. Kuet sues 400 people over attacks on students They urged the administration to implement this policy effectively. Kuet Teachers' Association President Prof Dr Saidur Rahman and General Secretary Prof Faruk Hossain, in a statement to the media expressed regret over the incidents. They warned that forcing the VC and Pro-VC to resign would set a negative precedent. 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. The unrest at Kuet erupted on February 18 following a clash between some ‘general students’ and Chhatra Dal activists over the distribution of Chhatra Dal (BNP's student wing) nomination forms. The violence escalated as local outsiders reportedly joined in the attacks on students. Later an emergency syndicate meeting decided to suspend Kuet’s academic activities until February 28.

Authorities at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) have sued 400 unnamed people over Tuesday's attacks on the general students of the institution. The university’s Security Inspector Md Moniruzzaman Liton filed the case with Khan Jahan Ali police station on Wednesday night, said Shahaduzzaman, public relations officer of Kuet. The Kuet administration formed a four member body to investigate the attacks and asked it to submit a report within three working days; said a media release issued on Wednesday night. The decisions to file a case and form the body were taken at the 93rd emergency syndicate meeting of the university headed by Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Mashud on Wednesday. The meeting also took decisions identifying those involved with the attacks on students, keeping the ban on campus politics of teachers, students and others in force, terminate teachers, officials and staffers of the university if they are found involved with politics upon probe, expulsion for life and cancellation of studentship for the students. Chhatra Dal blames Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Shibir for Kuet attack Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, at least 50 students were injured in a series of clashes between the general students and the BNP’s student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) 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. The Kuet authority suspended academic activities till February 28 as tension was mounted on Wednesday.

The authorities of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) have said that the ban on politics at the university remains in effect as per a previous decision. Besides, five decisions have been made, including the formation of a four-member investigation committee, to identify those responsible for the recent clash on the campus. The decisions were made during an emergency virtual meeting of the university syndicate held at 11:30 am on Wednesday, according to a statement signed by university registrar Md Anisur Rahman Bhuiyan. The meeting was presided over by Vice-Chancellor of the university Prof Dr. Muhammad Masud. Kuet suspends academic activities until Feb 28 amid growing tensions Meanwhile, the authorities suspended Kuet’s academic activities until February 28 amid growing tensions between two groups of students over the demand for banning student politics on its campus. It 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. 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. AL must be eradicated, not just banned: Adviser Asif 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. 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.

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. Additional police personnel along with other forces remained deployed surrounding the campus to ward off any unwanted incident.   The general students, however, 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. Protests, counter-protests in Dhaka over chaos ignited by JCD programme at KUET The protesting students gave the ultimatum at a press conference held on the campus around 10:30pm. At 11:30pm, the students also brought out a protest rally and warned that no student politics on the campus would be allowed at any cost. They demanded that those attacked them be brought to justice immediately. Contacted, VC Prof Dr Masud Rahman told UNB that he has received the five-point demand placed by the students. He, however, made no remarks regarding the steps on the demands. 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. Clashes erupt at Kuet over banning student politics; BGB deployed Protesting the attacks on the Kuet students, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement brought out processions on the campuses of Dhaka University and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology on Tuesday night.

A case was filed against 15 people including a professor of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) and a former registrar over allegations of torturing and attempting to murder a student. Former Kuet student Lutfor Rahman filed the petition on Sunday at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s court. Metropolitan Magistrate Rokibul Islam accepted the petition and directed the Officer-in-Charge of Khan Jahan Ali Police Station to file a regular case and report back to the court. Among the accused are Professor D. Mohammad Alamgir Hossain of Civil Engineering Department, Professor Dr. Sobhan Mia of Mechanical Engineering Department, former registrar GM Shahidul Islam, former KUET Chhatra League president Safayat Hossain Nayan, general secretary Ali Imtiaz Sohan, and several other Chhatra League activists. The then Officer-in-Charge of Daulatpur Police Station, Anwar Hossain, was also named in the case. Ex-commander of ‘Muktijoddha Sangsad’, brother held in Bhola According to the complaint, the accused suspected that Rahman, who lived in Lalon Shah Hall, had involvement with Jamaat-e-Islami. On 1 April 2017, he was called out of his room, taken to the hall’s guest room, and brutally beaten. Police allegedly did not take action against the attackers but instead arrested Rahman and filed a case against him under the Special Powers Act. Rahman was taken to a hospital from jail with severe injuries and later suffered complete kidney failure and now he depends on dialysis to survive.

Nayma Binte Nur, a Bangladeshi imaging scientist who is affiliated with the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), is having her moment of glory in the global scientific community. Nayma’s expertise lies in hyperspectral remote sensing and radiative transfer modeling, sophisticated techniques allowing her to unravel Earth’s systems’ complexities. In simple terms, she’s decoding the mysteries of the planet by studying how light interacts with its surface. 3 scientists win Nobel Prize in physics for looking at electrons in atoms during split seconds One of Nayma's key focuses is soil moisture, a crucial factor influencing a wide range of ecological systems and affecting everything from agriculture to flood forecasts. Using advanced imaging methods, Nayma accurately determines soil moisture levels and extends her findings across vast areas using satellite imagery, showcasing the broad applicability of her work. This ground-breaking approach has garnered the attention of prestigious scientific organizations, including NASA. In preparation for their upcoming Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) mission, NASA has highlighted Nayma’s work in a special collection, underscoring its potential influence. ISRO Chandrayaan-3: 9 Women Scientists Who Led India’s Moon Landing Nayma’s exceptional research does not end with NASA’s SBG mission; it has been showcased at prominent events hosted by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Planet Labs PBC. The scientific community commended her for her contributions and unique skill set, which are poised to drive significant breakthroughs, particularly in using light to reveal intricate details about organic matter in soil across extensive geographic regions. Scientists board India’s research vessel ‘Sagar Nidhi’ for 35-day expedition Nayma’s educational journey included an Electrical and Electronic Engineering degree from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), enriched by advanced mathematics studies at Jahangirnagar University, which provided a sturdy foundation for her forays into imaging science.

A student of Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) was sued in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA) for his alleged anti-state posts through Telegram App. The varsity’s Security Officer Md Sadek Hossain Promanik filed the case accusing two people including the student at Khanjahan Ali Police Station on Monday.  Earlier, fellows of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student body of the ruling Awami League, of the university beat the student up over the issue. The accused in the case are identified as Jahidul Rahman, a second year student of Computer Science Engineering (CSE) department of the university and Rezwan Shyam, 21, a resident of Munishirhat village under Borhanuddin upazila in Bhola district. Jahidul also hails from Tazumuddin upazila of the same district. The accused Jahidul has been shown arrested while undergoing treatment at Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH). Jahidul’s family members claimed that the BCL men beat him up mercilessly tagging him an activist of a student organization for three hours from 11pm to 2am on Sunday night after calling him up to the guest room of MA Rashid Hall. Later, critically injured Jahidul was rushed to the KMCH by an ambulance, they said. The victim’s elder brother Nayeem said his younger brother has no involvement with any student body and has been deliberately sued in a false case. KUET unit BCL General Secretary Sadman Nahiyan Sejan could not be reached over the mobile phone despite repeated attempts. Hall Provost Md Hamidul Islam told UNB that some students have noticed his anti-state activities for the past a few days. Read: Police again arrest Jumon Das in DSA case “The student made some objectionable remarks about the recent wrapped up visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India and he has no faith in democracy, rather a fellow of Khelafat,” he said. Asked whether the student was beaten up by the BCL men, the provost said it would be tough for him to make a comment in this regard. Khanjahan Ali Police Station’s Officer-in-charge Md Kamal Hossain Khan said allegations of creating instability or hampering law and order situation on the campus by making controversial remarks using digital means was brought against him in the DSA case. KUET Security Officer Sadek didn’t pick up his mobile phone despite several phone calls.