KUET Students are heading towards Dhaka for crisis talks with Chief Advisor

In a tense and escalating situation at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), a group of protesting students departed for Dhaka early on Sunday to meet with Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus. 

Their journey comes as part of their six-point demand, which includes the removal of Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Muhammad Masud and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Shariful Islam. 

The students claim the university administration has failed to ensure their safety and resolve ongoing issues.

At around 8 a.m., 80 students boarded two buses from the KUET campus, all wearing red cloth tied around their heads as a symbol of protest.

The buses were self-arranged by the students due to the university’s refusal to assist them with transportation.

The meeting with Dr. Yunus is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday at his residence in Dhaka. 

Speaking to the media before their departure, the students voiced their concerns over the lack of safety on campus. 

“We don’t feel safe on campus. For this reason, we will present our demands to the Chief Advisor. Afterward, we will move to a safer location and carry out our activities online. We will not return to campus until our demands are fulfilled,” one of the students said during the press conference.

The students further expressed frustration at the university’s inaction and lack of support. 

“We requested assistance from the KUET authorities for bus services, but they didn’t provide any support. Since the government has turned its back on us, we have tied red cloth around our heads and are shutting down the campus completely. No academic or administrative activities will continue at KUET until our demands are met,” they added.

This mass departure follows a violent incident that left over 100 students injured. Students revealed that the attack, carried out with machetes and cleavers, occurred after tensions rose between KUET students and members of the BNP’s student wing. 

“Our unarmed students were attacked with machetes and cleavers, something no one has dared to do at any educational institution since the July Revolution. Our students’ heads were split open, and hands were chopped into three pieces during the attack,” one of the students stated.

Despite the severity of the attack, students claim the interim government has not contacted them or taken any action. 

“The interim government, which stands on the foundation of the July Revolution, hasn’t contacted us despite the bloodshed of over 150 of our students. The government must take responsibility for the bloodshed. It’s been three days since we sent a memorandum via email, yet we’ve received no response. This campus is not safe for us,” they added.

Students living off-campus have also faced intimidation. They claim landlords are asking them to leave their rented accommodations, further compounding their sense of insecurity. 

“We are all terrified, and our families are terrified. We don’t feel safe inside or outside the campus. We are without guardians. There is no one to ensure our safety,” said one student.

There are also accusations directed at KUET’s administration. The students allege that the university is ignoring the key perpetrators of the attacks. 

“The Vice-Chancellor and some teachers are trying to say that our demands have been accepted. This is a completely baseless statement. The attackers are clearly identifiable, yet they are not being held responsible, while unknown individuals have been named as suspects,” the students argued.

The unrest began on February 18, when KUET students organized a peaceful march opposing the BNP student wing’s political activities on campus, despite a ban on political activities since August 2024. 

The peaceful protest escalated into violence when BNP student wing members, joined by local BNP activists, attacked the students, leading to four hours of chaos.

In response to this incident, the protesting students have submitted a list of six demands, the most prominent being the resignation of KUET’s Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor. 

They insist they will not return to campus until their demands are met, leaving KUET in a state of uncertainty.