The Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) authorities have revoked the temporary expulsion orders of 37 students and reopened all seven residential halls following a syndicate meeting held on Wednesday.
This decision comes amid ongoing protests by students demanding the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Mohammad Masud. Dozens of Kuet students are currently on a hunger strike, while others from universities across the country have expressed solidarity by staging their own protests.
According to KUET Registrar Md. Anisur Rahman Bhuiyan, the expulsions were initially imposed during a syndicate meeting on 14 April. However, after reviewing the situation during today's meeting, the university decided to withdraw the orders.
In a press release issued after the meeting, it was announced that academic activities would resume on 4 May.
Despite the official reopening of residential halls being declared today, all seven dormitories had already been forcibly occupied by students. On 15 April, students broke into the six male dormitories, and last night, the locks of the only female dormitory, Rokeya Hall, were similarly broken in defiance of prior administrative orders.
Earlier in the day, Education Adviser CR Abrar visited the KUET campus and urged the hunger-striking students to end their protest and trust the ongoing investigation. However, the students refused to call off their strike. Seven of the 32 hunger strikers reportedly fell ill and received medical attention.
Other students continued their demonstrations throughout the day, staging multiple protest marches across the campus, reiterating their demand for the vice-chancellor’s resignation.
The unrest at KUET traces back to 18 February, when a violent clash erupted over demands to ban student politics on campus, leaving over a hundred people injured. In the aftermath, students locked administrative and academic buildings, prompting the university to suspend all political activities on campus.
The current crisis underscores growing dissatisfaction among students with the university administration, with many vowing to continue their protests until their demands are met.
