United News of Bangladesh

Students of Barishal Nursing College on Wednesday morning started an indefinite ‘complete shutdown’ to press home their six-point demand. They also staged protests seeking justice over an alleged attack on them by teachers and postgraduates. The protest began at 9am in front of the college with the protesters gathering with placards and slogans. Earlier on Tuesday morning, the protesting students were allegedly barred by teachers from holding a scheduled programme on the campus that left four students injured. Nursing College student commits ‘suicide’ in Barishal The students have been carrying out movements on six point demands including teachers recruitment following the policies of Dhaka University and the University Grants Commission (UGC). The students warned that the ‘complete shutdown’ will continue until their demands are met. However, the teachers denied the allegation. A tense situation was prevailing on the college campus.

The protesting students of Barishal University (BU) locked all administrative offices on Tuesday demanding the immediate removal of Vice Chancellor Dr. Sucharita Sharmin. The protesters put the administrative offices under lock and key following a half-hour demonstration on the ground floor of the university. They warned that they would  paralyse the entire southern region of the country if their demand is not met immediately. The protest that began 15 days back intensified on Sunday when students consolidated their demands into a single call for the VC's removal. Students accused the VC of favouring authoritarian faculty members, failing to implement 22-point demand submitted six months ago and filing cases against protesters while sparing others involved in previous violent incidents. "Despite submitting our demands six months ago, none have been implemented," said Shahidul Islam, a protesting student. “The administration didn’t even file a case against Shahriar Shan, one of the perpetrators during the July movement, but instead filed cases against students protesting for legitimate reasons,” he said. KU authorities decide to expel student who attacked teacher; committee formed Abdur Rahman, another student, said, “Our classmate Zebunnesa Haque Jimmy, who had cancer, died without treatment after the VC ignored her appeal for support. Months passed, but her application sat unsigned in the office. We don't want such an inhumane VC.” Another student Ashik Ahmed said the corrupt and incompetent VC has lost the moral right to remain in office.  

The authorities of Khulna University (KU) have decided to cancel the enrolment of the accused of forming assaulting a teacher of the university. The accused student is Abdullah Noman, a student from the 18th batch of the Bengali Department. A high-level investigation committee was also formed during the syndicate meeting held on Saturday afternoon, said Prof Dr. Rezaul Karim, VC of Khulna University. It was also decided that the student's graduation certificate will be suspended until the committee submits its investigation report within the next five working days, he added. Prof Dr. Md. Imdadul Haque has been appointed as the head of the committee, while two other members are Professors Dr. Md. Khasrul Alam and Dr. Md. Ajmal Huda. According to students, on Friday night, Noman struck the head of the teacher and Assistant Student Affairs Director Hasan Mahmud Saki with a metal object on the university campus, causing him to fall to the ground and lose consciousness. Later, the injured teacher was taken to hospital in serious condition. Meanwhile, after receiving the news of the physical assault on the teacher, students emerged from all the halls of the university and began a procession on campus. They took a stand in front of the VC's bungalow, demanding justice against the accused student. They said that they would not leave their position until punishment was confirmed. At the same time, the student was declared unwanted on campus by the general students. The protests continued until 2:30 am. In light of the emerging situation, an emergency syndicate meeting was held on Saturday at 3 pm. VC Professor Dr. Rezaul Karim briefed journalists after the meeting. Pro VC Professor Dr. Harun Or Rashid Khan and other teachers were present at the time. The VC said that the 231st emergency syndicate meeting condemned the incident and made the decisions outlined above. Moreover, the university's registrar will file a case against the student under criminal law at Harintana police station.

Prof Dr Md Hazrat Ali of the Civil Engineering Department at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology has been appointed as the acting Vice Chancellor (VC) of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET). The Ministry of Education issued a notification regarding his appointment on Thursday (May 1). According to the notification, the appointment was made with the approval of the President, who is the Chancellor, to fill the vacancy on an interim basis until a full-time VC is appointed. During his tenure, Prof Hazrat Ali will receive the salary and allowances equivalent to his current position along with other relevant benefits as per the rules. He will serve as the university’s chief executive officer and will be required to stay on the KUET campus on a full-time basis. JUCSU election set for July 31, army to be deployed if needed The order also states that the President and Chancellor reserves the right to revoke the appointment at any time, if deemed necessary. The appointment followed student protests following an incident of violence on the KUET campus on February 18. Students had demanded the resignation of the Vice Chancellor, Pro-Vice Chancellor, and Director of Student Welfare (DSW). After more than two months of continuous demonstrations and a hunger strike unto death by students, the Ministry of Education removed both the Vice Chancellor and Pro-Vice Chancellor on April 25.

A team of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology ( BUET) was recently awarded as the first position for inventing NeoScreenix, Smart AI System for Early Breast Cancer Screening. The team secured their first position  in 2025 Johns Hopkins Healthcare Design Competition Winners for their innovative idea, says a press release. Team Ecoassist from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú achieved the second position for their Deep Learning project which describes Aided Kidney and Liver Segmentation for Enhanced US Image Acquisition while Kujali – an AI-driven decision-support tool for labor care of Johns Hopkins University team placed the third position in the competition. The five-member team, Neoscreenix, developed an AI-based early breast cancer screening tool aimed at empowering women in low-resource settings. Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, the contest drew global participation. BUET was the only university with two finalist teams in the category. Team NEOSCREENIX wowed the judges with their ‘Smart System for Early Breast Cancer Screening’ and took home a $5,000 prize. The all-CSE lineup included Fahmida Naznin (Project Designer), M.H. Sadman Tabib (ML Developer), Md. Hasain Adil (Frontend), Sadatul Islam (Backend), and Prithu Anan (Hardware).  A computer science and engineering undergraduate who loves to work for solving the real life problems shared in this Linkedin account that the achievement their mission to harness AI and digital technology to enable early,  accessible brwast cancer detection especially in undeserved communities. The winners received US Dollar 5,000, which they plan to invest in expanding their research and making the technology more accessible across Bangladesh. Out of 440 proposals submitted by teams across all tracks, the top 8 teams from each track were invited to pitch in the final round on April 12th to compete for first, second, and third prizes of US Dollar 5,000, 3,000, and 1,000 respectively. 

Ten students of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) have been awarded scholarships by the Nagao Natural Environment Foundation (NEF) of Japan for their outstanding academic performance during the January–December 2023 academic year. The scholarship cheques were handed over to the recipients at a ceremony held at the Vice-Chancellor’s office. Vice-Chancellor Dr. A K Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan was present at the event as the chief guest, and distributed the awards. The scholarship recipients are Lara Sarker and Mahani Mohal Ansary Keya from the Faculty of Veterinary Science; Rifa Nanjiba Jeny, Jannatul Ferdous Ritu, Syeda Shamima Ahmed Shucy and Md. Nabiul Hoque from the Faculty of Agriculture; Sayma Siddika Saba and Esha Ahammed from the Faculty of Animal Husbandry; and Md. Mizanur Rahman Naim and Arafia Jahan from the Faculty of Fisheries.  Mohammad Toufiqul Islam, acting director of BAU’s Public Relations and Publications Office, confirmed the list of recipients to UNB's campus correspondent. NEF is a non-governmental organization based in Japan, founded in November 1989 with the aim of protecting nature in developing countries. The organization provides scholarships to meritorious undergraduate and postgraduate students. Apart from BAU, students from Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University and Gazipur Agriculture University also receive this scholarship.

Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) and Thailand's Kasetsart University (KU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday to strengthen cooperation in education and research,. Prof Dr. Md. Bahanur Rahman, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science at BAU, said  the MoU takes effect immediately and will remain in force for five years. The duration may be extended upon mutual consent. 30 Scientists, 5 farmers & a journalist honoured at BAU Starting next year, at least five BAU students will be given internship opportunities at Kasetsart University. BAU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Dr. A.K. Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan, and Prof Dr. Md. Bahanur Rahman and  Dr. Damrong Sripraram, Acting President of Kasetsart University, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Khongsak Thiangtum, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,  signed the MoU on behalf of their respective sides. Under the agreement, the two institutions will collaborate in student and faculty exchange programs, joint research initiatives, continuous educational activities, and participation in bilateral academic forums and seminars.

The process of relieving the Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) from their duties has begun.  The information was disclosed late on Wednesday night (23 April) by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. BGCS announces march towards Education  Ministry demanding KUET VC’s resignation According to a media release issued by the ministry, the decision has been taken in light of recent events at KUET, with the aim of resolving the ongoing crisis and resuming academic activities without delay.  A search committee will be formed promptly to appoint new officials to both positions. Kuet students vow to continue hunger strike despite adviser’s intervention During the interim period, to ensure the continuation of regular university activities, one of the senior professors will be temporarily assigned the responsibilities of the Vice-Chancellor, said the  Ministry of Education.

Students of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) on Wednesday vowed to continue their hunger strike even after Education Ministry Adviser CR Abrar met them and tried to resolve the issue. Arriving at the campus around 9:45am, he spoke with the protesting students for around a half hour at the Student Welfare Centre. Sitting among them, he heard how their six-point demand turned into one -- the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Alamgir Masud. The students made it clear they would not end their strike until the VC stepped down. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Abrar said, “It’s very unfortunate the situation has come to this, forcing students into hunger strikes. They want an immediate announcement that would allow them to withdraw. I’ve explained that legal constraints must be considered in any decision.” Demand for KUET VC’s removal resonates in Dhaka; students block Shahbagh, go on hunger strike “I came here not as an official but as a father. I urged the more ill students to drink water and the others to protest in healthier ways, but they refused. I still hope for a peaceful and quick resolution,” he said. Asked by syndicate members to hold talks, Abrar declined, stating his sole purpose was to persuade the students to end their strike. By Wednesday morning, five students had fallen sick due to the extreme heat and prolonged fasting. Many are reportedly suffering from low blood pressure. Parents concerned and fellow students from both on and off campus have gathered at the protest site. The hunger strike began on Monday afternoon, with hundreds of students taking part. On the evening the following day, female students broke into the locked Rokeya Hall, aided by male students. Meanwhile, more than 300 students from Dhaka-based institutions joined a 'Shahbagh Blockade' protest late Tuesday night, where Dhaka University student Musaddiq Ali Ibn Mohammad announced a call for class boycotts at all educational institutions on Wednesday. Various organisations, including Khulna University, Khulna Citizen Forum, and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, also declared support through processions and protests. Security on the Kuet campus has been tightened, with additional police deployed at entry gates. Kuet teachers to abstain from classes until 3-point demand is met Teachers continue to request that students end their strike and engage in dialogue. Despite several appeals from faculty members, including the pro-VC and director of student welfare, students remain steadfast. The unrest stems from a violent clash on February 18 involving student political groups, after which the administration suspended 37 students and temporarily shut down academic activities. Students returned to campus in defiance on April 13 and have since demanded the VC’s resignation.

Students from various institutions in Dhaka blocked the Shahbagh intersection for almost two hours on Tuesday night, demanding the resignation of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) Vice Chancellor Dr. Muhammed Masudur Rahman. Students from Dhaka University, BUET, Jagannath University, Dhaka College, and various other institutions gathered at Shahbagh around 10:30pm. They left Shahbagh at 12:15am. Earlier, they announced the protest programme with the theme of “Kuet Bachate Shahbagh Blockade” (Blockade to save KUET at Shahbagh). During the blockade, Abdullah Saikat, a student on hunger strike at KUET, joined them live from the Khulna campus. He expressed his gratitude to everyone for their support.