KUET lifts expulsions, reopens dorms after protest review

The Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) has withdrawn the temporary expulsion orders against 37 students and reopened all seven residential halls following a syndicate meeting on Wednesday.

Registrar Md Anisur Rahman Bhuiyan confirmed that the expulsions, issued during an earlier syndicate meeting on April 14, were revoked after a fresh review. The meeting also approved the reopening of six male halls and one female hall from the afternoon.

A press release issued after the meeting stated that academic classes will resume on 4 May.

Although the reopening was officially declared today, students had already occupied the halls. On 15 April, they forcibly entered the six male dormitories, and on Tuesday night, students broke the locks of the female dormitory, Rokeya Hall, defying the previous closure.

Earlier in the day, Education Adviser CR Abrar visited the KUET campus and met students on hunger strike, urging them to end their protest and trust the ongoing investigation. However, the students refused. Seven of the 32 students on strike reportedly fell ill and received medical treatment.

Meanwhile, student protests continued, with processions held across campus demanding the resignation of the vice-chancellor.

The agitation at KUET began on 18 February following a violent clash over demands to ban student politics on campus, which left more than a hundred injured. The following day, students locked the university’s administrative and academic buildings, prompting authorities to suspend all political activities on campus.