Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) authorities on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to 44 students over the unnatural death of its teacher Md. Selim Hossain.

The students were asked to respond to the notice by January 3.

Read: Prof Selim’s death: Closure of KUET extended again until Jan 6

Earlier on December 3, the university was declared closed till December 13 as tension gripped the campus over his death allegedly due to mental torture and harassment by some Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists.

Then the closure was extended till December 23.

On December 23, the Kuet authorities decided that the dormitories will reopen on January 8 and classes resume on January 9.

Besides, a five-member probe committee was formed to investigate the death.

Prof Selim, 38, a teacher of the Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) department at the university, was also the provost of Lalan Shah Hall.

Read: Kuet Prof. Selim’s body exhumed for autopsy

According to faculty members of the university, Prof Selim died hours after some Chhatra League activists led by Sadman Nahyan Sejan, general secretary of Kuet Chhatra League, allegedly confined the teacher to his office and mentally tortured him to accept their choice as dining manager of Lalan Shah Hall for December.

During this confinement the teacher was allegedly subjected to abuses, humiliation and threat, his colleagues said.