Online Desk  :   Several students at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) have launched an indefinite hunger strike demanding removal of Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Muhammad Masud. The hunger strike began at 4 PM on Monday at the balcony of Student Welfare Centre on campus. Prior to that, around 3:30 PM, students gathered in front of Dr. M.A. Rashid Hall and soon moved to Student Welfare Centre to begin their protest. Senior faculty members visited the protest site and tried to persuade the students to withdraw from the hunger strike. Discussions between the students and the faculty continued until 4:30 PM, though no resolution was reached at that point.

Earlier in the day, KUET’s Director of Student Welfare, Professor Dr. Abdullah Elias Akhtar, urged the students to resolve the ongoing crisis through dialogue rather than extreme measures. “The hunger strike is scheduled to begin at 3 PM on Monday. We’ve tried to reason with them, and we hope they will reconsider. A few students have spoken with us and agreed to consult with the others before making a final decision,” he stated. During a press briefing, university officials assured the students that the suspension order for 37 students would be discussed with the administration in hopes of temporarily lifting the decision.

“There is nothing to fear. No innocent student will be punished,” said a university representative. They also acknowledged issues with food availability in the halls and promised to address the problem. Assistant Director of Student Welfare and Assistant Professor Raju Ahmed added that legal assistance would be provided to students facing lawsuits related to recent protests. He emphasized that the university administration had no involvement in initiating legal action and that steps would be taken to negotiate with the plaintiff for the withdrawal of the cases. While no specific agenda was discussed with the students during the press briefing, university authorities reiterated their commitment to restoring a peaceful academic environment on campus.