Facing intense student protests nationwide, the government has finally begun the process of removing Professor Mohammad Masud, the Vice-Chancellor of Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET). Simultaneously, the process to relieve the Pro-Vice-Chancellor from their duties has also been initiated.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting conveyed this information to the media late Wednesday night (April 23rd), citing the Ministry of Education.
A press release regarding this matter stated, "In order to resolve the crisis arising from recent events and to quickly resume educational activities, the process of relieving the Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Khulna University of Engineering & Technology from their duties has been initiated. A search committee will be formed immediately to appoint new individuals to these positions."
It further stated, "In the interim, to ensure the continuation of the university's regular operations, one of the senior professors will be temporarily assigned the responsibility of Vice-Chancellor."
Earlier, KUET's syndicate meeting decided to revoke the temporary expulsion orders of 37 students and reopen seven residential halls.
The unrest stemmed from a clash on February 18th between student and local residents, involving student wings of the BNP, over demands to ban student politics. As a result, many were injured. On February 25th, the syndicate meeting declared an indefinite closure of academic activities and halls.
Despite the university's ban, students entered the closed KUET campus on April 13th. In response, the university authorities held an emergency syndicate meeting on April 14th and temporarily expelled 37 students involved in the violence.
The university announced the reopening of academic activities on May 4th and residential halls on May 2nd. Rejecting this decision, students staged a sit-in protest in front of the administrative building that night.
The next day, April 15th, they broke open the locks of the halls and entered. They initiated a movement demanding the removal of the Vice-Chancellor. Student solidarity protests broke out in other universities as well.
