Students from various institutions in Dhaka blocked the Shahbagh intersection for almost two hours on Tuesday night, demanding the resignation of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) Vice Chancellor Dr. Muhammed Masudur Rahman.

Students from Dhaka University, BUET, Jagannath University, Dhaka College, and various other institutions gathered at Shahbagh around 10:30pm. They left Shahbagh at 12:15am.

Earlier, they announced the protest programme with the theme of “Kuet Bachate Shahbagh Blockade” (Blockade to save KUET at Shahbagh).

During the blockade, Abdullah Saikat, a student on hunger strike at KUET, joined them live from the Khulna campus. He expressed his gratitude to everyone for their support.

Mosaddeq Ali Ibn Mohammad, a student of Dhaka University’s Bangla Department, announced the next programme for the movement. 

He said, “We cannot attend classes while KUET students are on the verge of death. Therefore, I call upon all students of all institutions to boycott all classes tomorrow. Show solidarity with KUET by holding symbolic hunger strikes, sit-in programs, and protest rallies in all campuses.”

He also announced that as the central programme for the movement, there will be a protest rally tomorrow (Wednesday) at 3pm in front of the Raju sculpture at Dhaka University.

Abdun Nur Tushar, a student of BUET Civil Engineering batch 20 who attended the blockade, said, “Many at KUET are at death’s door. In such a situation, we cannot go to classes. We cannot enter into any negotiation.”

Masud Rana, a student of Jagannath University, said, “All doors of discussion have been closed. Now the only way is the resignation of the KUET VC.”

Meanwhile, activists of the Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad (Democratic Student Council) have commenced a hunger strike with the same demand.

From what was supposed to have been a symbolic hunger strike that began at 5:30pm Tuesday at the Raju sculpture, the organization started a real hunger strike at 10pm.

Our DU correspondent counted more than 20 activists on hunger strike at the Raju sculpture around midnight. 

Their leader, Tahmid Al Mudassir Chowdhury, said, “We are very disappointed with this interim administration. The administration appointed in the backdrop of the student movement has forgotten July. We will not forget July. VC Masud must be removed from his position. He will be removed through the student movement. This government survives on the legitimacy of the students. If anything happens to the students, the government must take responsibility.”