Students of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) have issued a solidarity statement supporting an indefinite hunger strike by students from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) demanding the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Masud.
Buet students on Tuesday marched from the Central Shaheed Minar to the base of the Raju Memorial Sculpture at Dhaka University, where Buet student Al Farabi read their solidarity statement.
"We want to clearly state that Buet students fully support all the reasonable demands of Kuet students. On behalf of the general students of Buet, we strongly demand that Kuet students' legitimate demands be accepted quickly, arrangements be made to end their hunger strike, and the real culprits be brought to justice promptly. We call upon the appropriate authorities, including the interim government, to take proper steps to ensure the security of Kuet students and restore an appropriate educational environment," read the statement.
According to the statement, tensions erupted at Kuet in February when general students tried to prevent the Chhatra Dal from distributing membership forms. The situation escalated when local BNP leaders and activists arrived armed, attacking students with sharp weapons and firearms, resulting in over 150 students being injured. During the four-hour attack, the Kuet administration completely failed to provide security to students.
In response, Kuet students submitted a six-point demand to the chief advisor, seeking security guarantees and rights protection.
The statement added: "Subsequently, the Kuet administration ignored these demands and forced students to vacate their dormitories. Instead of taking action against the actual perpetrators, they banned students from entering the campus and sent messages to their parents' mobile phones enforcing this restriction. When students demanded justice, the administration waited two months before unfairly expelling 37 Kuet students, most of whom were innocent victims of the Chhatra Dal attack.
"Additionally, harassment-based false cases were filed against 22 students. When students requested that their dormitories be reopened, the administration's syndicate meeting decided to keep them closed, forcing students to spend nights in the open.
"Under these circumstances, Kuet students have issued a single-point demand: "The resignation of the autocratic VC Masud." Despite students pursuing various programs to achieve their demands over many days, the authorities have not conceded. As a final step, Kuet students began an indefinite hunger strike on Monday at 3:30pm."
