KUET Crisis Continues: Stakeholders Demand Immediate VC Appointment to Resume Classes

Academic activities at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) have remained suspended for five consecutive months, leaving over 5,500 students and their guardians deeply anxious and frustrated. With mounting pressure from all quarters, a joint human chain was held on July 23, Wednesday, at 11 a.m. in front of the Durbar Bangla premises of KUET, demanding the immediate appointment of a vice-chancellor (VC) to restore normalcy.

The demonstration was led by KUET Teachers’ Association President Professor Dr. Md. Shahidul Islam. Other speakers included General Secretary Professor Dr. Md. Faruk Hossain, Dr. Md. Rafiqul Islam, Dr. Sultan Mahmud, guardian Bithi Akter, and student representative Md. Sayem.

“We want to return to classes and exams. For that, we urgently need a vice-chancellor. We have academic gaps that must be resolved,” said student Sayem.

Guardian Bithi Akter expressed concern, stating, “Running a university without a guardian is extremely difficult. We demand an immediate appointment of the VC.”

Professor Dr. Faruk Hossain remarked, “Since February, KUET has remained without a VC. We are now helpless. A prompt decision is necessary. Teachers, students, and guardians are united in demanding the VC’s appointment.”

Teachers’ Association President Shahidul Islam added, “Everyone wants academic activities to resume, but to reopen classes, directives from the VC are essential. Hence, a quick appointment is crucial.”

Since July 21, several departments have resumed assembling students in classrooms, awaiting teachers' return. The KUET Guardian Forum has also staged a human chain in front of the administrative building and submitted memorandums to both the University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman and the Prime Minister’s education advisor. They met with the Teachers’ Association’s general secretary to press for the resumption of classes.

The Ministry of Education has also taken note of the disrupted academic situation and, through former NBR chairman Dr. Md. Abdul Majid, formed a three-member inquiry committee.

During the Teachers’ Association’s ninth general meeting, most senior faculty members reportedly expressed willingness to return to classes. However, a few members opposed this and proposed a two-step strategy: first, a collective platform of teachers, students, and guardians must push strongly for the VC’s appointment; second, classes would resume immediately after the VC’s appointment. They added that students directly involved in past incidents of misconduct would be brought to the VC’s attention for disciplinary action as per university rules.

The general secretary of the Teachers’ Association later indicated that if the association’s prior programs are no longer in effect, there should be no further obstacle for teachers to return to classrooms. Nonetheless, a significant number of faculty members expressed disagreement with the decision not to resume classes before a VC is appointed.

An anonymous senior faculty member from the Department of Mechanical Engineering stated, “As a teacher, I cannot go against the Teachers’ Association’s stance. But personally, I believe we should not delay any longer and should think of the 5,500 students whose academic lives are at stake. I had advised students to avoid using social media to apologize and instead directly approach deans or department heads and apologize collectively. Maybe things wouldn’t have escalated this far.”

Overall, the pressure is intensifying on the Teachers’ Association to restart academic activities. However, its leadership remains adamant that classes will not resume until a VC is officially appointed. The underlying reasons for this rigid stance remain unclear.