The education ministry has begun the process of relieving Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) Vice-Chancellor Prof Muhammad Mashud and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof SK Shariful Alam of their duties, as confirmed by the information and broadcasting ministry.
The ministry issued a media statement late Wednesday night, announcing the development.
The statement also mentioned that a search committee would be formed to appoint replacements for both positions.
The press release, signed by ministry spokesperson Md Mamun Ur Rashid, stated: “In response to recent events at the university, the process of relieving the vice-chancellor and pro-vice-chancellor of their duties has been initiated to resolve the crisis and quickly resume academic activities.”
In the interim, a senior professor from the university will be appointed as the acting VC to ensure the continuation of normal operations.
KUET students have been protesting for several days, demanding the resignation of the VC, with a group of students on hunger strike for the past three days.
Earlier on Wednesday, a syndicate meeting decided to lift the expulsion orders of 37 students and reopen all residential halls. The meeting also confirmed that academic activities would resume on May 4, as previously scheduled.
In the midst of the student movement, Education Ministry Advisor CR Abrar visited the KUET campus at around 9:45 AM on Wednesday, where he was met by students chanting anti-VC slogans. He spent about 40 minutes speaking with the students, including those on hunger strike. During their conversation, the student leaders explained how their original list of six demands had narrowed down to a single request: the removal of VC Mashud.
On Tuesday, Abrar had previously contacted the students by phone to check on their well-being.
A three-member team from the University Grants Commission (UGC) was also scheduled to visit the campus on Wednesday to assess the situation.
The crisis began on February 18, when calls to ban student politics led to clashes between activists of Chhatra Dal and the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, leaving over 50 students injured. The following day, students locked down all academic and administrative buildings. In response, KUET’s syndicate suspended all political activities on campus and formed a committee to investigate the violence. A case was later filed at Khan Jahan Ali Police Station, accusing 400–500 unidentified individuals.
On February 20, students symbolically showed a red card to all political student organizations and called for the VC’s resignation. They later submitted a memorandum to Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka on February 23, which included calls for justice and the VC’s removal.
On February 25, the university’s syndicate held an emergency meeting and decided to close all residential halls indefinitely. Students were ordered to vacate by 10 AM the next day.
A full investigation into the clashes was completed and submitted on April 16, while a local filed a separate case against 22 KUET students at a Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court.
The movement reignited on April 13, when students began an indefinite sit-in in front of the administrative building, demanding the reopening of residential halls.
On April 4, the syndicate announced the suspension of 37 students allegedly involved in the clashes and decided to reopen all residential halls by May 2 and resume academic activities on May 4.
On April 15, students focused on a single demand: the resignation of VC Mashud. That same day, they broke the locks on six male student residential halls and re-entered.
On April 16, students held a protest march on campus and staged a symbolic event where they burned an effigy of the VC’s chair.
On April 20, students issued a 24-hour ultimatum for the VC’s resignation. When the deadline passed without any response, they launched their hunger strike.
