The Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) has revoked the temporary expulsion orders of 37 of its students. Simultaneously, the university's seven residential halls have also been reopened.
The decision was made at a syndicate meeting of the university held on Wednesday afternoon (April 23). KUET Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Mohammed Masud presided over the meeting.
Following the meeting, a notification signed by the Registrar, Md. Anisur Rahman Bhuiyan, was issued under the Vice-Chancellor's directive, informing about these decisions. The notification stated that as per the decision of the 101st (emergency) syndicate meeting held on April 14, all academic activities of the university were scheduled to resume from May 4, and the residential halls were to open on May 2. However, according to the decision of today's 102nd (emergency) syndicate meeting, the halls will be opened this afternoon.
Clashes erupted at KUET on February 18 over a dispute regarding the demand to ban student politics, leaving several people injured. Following this incident, the syndicate meeting on February 25 declared an indefinite closure of academic activities and halls.
Students alleged that despite having complete information about the attack and the identities of the perpetrators, the university administration took a biased decision by not taking action against the specifically identified culprits. As a result, a large portion of the actual offenders remained outside the purview of punishment, while many innocent students unfairly faced penalties.
Meanwhile, Education Advisor Professor Dr. Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar stated that the issue of the demands of the Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) students would be resolved within a few days. He also said that those who committed crimes at the university would be brought under the law.
Advisor Professor Dr. Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar further stated that no one is above the law, and efforts will be made to do everything in accordance with the law. Students need to return to a normal environment.
Assuring the withdrawal of the students' expulsion orders and cases, he said that a committee has been formed regarding the students' demands, and it will be implemented soon after receiving the report.
Khulna Divisional Commissioner Md. Firoz Sarkar and District Commissioner Mohammed Saiful Islam were present at this time.
Earlier, following a clash among KUET students on February 18 over the demand to ban student politics, the syndicate meeting on February 25 declared an indefinite closure of academic activities and halls. However, defying the authorities' ban, students entered the closed KUET campus on April 13.
Amidst this situation, the university authorities held an emergency syndicate meeting on the night of April 14 and temporarily expelled 37 students in connection with the violence. Additionally, the reopening of academic activities on May 4 and residential halls on May 2 was announced.
Rejecting this decision, students staged a sit-in in front of the administrative building that night. The next day at noon, they broke the locks of one hall after another and entered. They also began a movement demanding the removal of the Vice-Chancellor with a one-point demand and started a hunger strike unto death on April 21.
