United News of Bangladesh

Renovation work on the playground adjacent to Bishwakabi Rabindranath Tagore Hall at Jahangirnagar University (JU) resumed on Friday despite an administrative order to suspend the work pending an investigation into alleged irregularities. University security officials faced resistance from some students when they went to the site to stop the work. Later, an assistant proctor also visited the spot but failed to halt the renovation. The contractor resumed the work on Friday. After receiving information, university security officials went to the playground and tried to stop the work, but some students present there prevented them from doing so. An argument also broke out between the security officials and the students during the incident.

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), the country’s premier engineering university, will face five hours of scheduled load shedding every day amid the ongoing energy crisis. According to a notice issued by the BUET Chief Engineer’s Office, Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd (DPDC) has informed the university of the load-shedding schedule due to a shortage of electricity supply. The notice lists five separate one-hour power cuts, from 6:00–7:00am, 10:00–11:00am, 2:00–3:00pm, 12:00–1:00am and 3:00–4:00am. The university authorities said that due to extremely low gas pressure during the daytime, it may not always be possible to ensure electricity supply through BUET’s own generators during the load-shedding periods. They sought cooperation from all concerned in dealing with the situation. Bangladesh continues to grapple with an energy crisis that has affected electricity generation and resulted in increased load shedding across the country.

Dhaka University's female students, who now comprise a majority of the student body, have once again demanded the complete abolition of the ‘evening curfew’ imposed in their residential halls, rejecting a proposal to relax the restriction by an hour. At a press conference in front of Rokeya Hall on Thursday afternoon, students under the banner of ‘Oborodhbasini’ said ensuring the safety of female students is the responsibility of the university administration, but doing so by restricting their movement in the name of security is not a solution. 'Evening curfew' at DU women's halls: Provost Standing Committee recommends 1-hour extension The students have been protesting for the past several days under the banner of ‘Oborodhbasini’, demanding the withdrawal of the ‘evening curfew’ in female halls and unrestricted access to the halls 24 hours a day. They have been carrying out a continuous movement with three demands since July 30. As part of the campaign, they have distributed leaflets, put up posters, held processions and organised signature campaigns among female students. Their demands include the immediate abolition of the existing “discriminatory evening curfew” from 10pm to 6am in female residential halls and ensuring the overall security of female students while allowing them to move freely 24 hours a day; allowing female students to enter any female residential hall by showing a valid identity card and stay there overnight with proper permission; and ensuring female students have the right to allow their female relatives to enter the halls. At the press conference, Shamsun Nahar Hall student Ishrat Jahan Imu said more than 1,200 female students submitted a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor on August 9 with their signatures. On August 10, they also issued a specific ultimatum to the administration through a solidarity rally demanding the abolition of the evening curfew. However, she said, the administration ignored all their demands and instead proposed relaxing the curfew by only one hour. According to the students, such a proposal undermines the civil and fundamental rights of female students, and there is no scope for compromise with the administration on the issue. Earlier, a meeting of the Provost Standing Committee proposed extending the entry time for female students by one hour on Wednesday. The proposal is still slated to be placed before the university’s Syndicate meeting. According to the students, if a female student needs to go out at night or return late to the hall for an emergency or academic research, she is required to submit a written undertaking to the administration. The undertaking states ominously that the university or hall administration will not be responsible for the student’s safety. They described the absence of such conditions for male students at the same university as “extreme discrimination.” The students said their programmes would continue until the discriminatory evening curfew is completely abolished and female students are guaranteed unrestricted movement and security at every part of the campus 24 hours a day. They said various hall-based programmes, including sit-ins and street meetings, would be organised as part of the movement. Under the existing rules, female students at the University of Dhaka are not allowed to enter or leave their residential halls between 10pm and 6am. If they need to go out or return late, they are required to obtain prior permission through a late pass from the house tutors, which is not always possible. In emergencies, the hall authorities contact the students’ local guardians before allowing them to leave.

Dhaka University has formed a three-member committee to investigate the activities of certain teachers allegedly involved in ‘anti-state covert activities’, determine the appropriate course of action, and make necessary recommendations. Prof. Dr. Abdus Salam, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) has been appointed convener of the committee, while Dean of the Faculty of Science and the Dean of the Faculty of Law as members, according to a press release issued today. Two DU male students expelled from hall over alleged ‘homosexuality’ The committee will examine all relevant aspects concerning the teachers in question, determine the appropriate course of action, and submit recommendations. The committee has already begun its work. The press release mentioned, “It may be noted that the Dhaka University authorities recently came across a report published by various media outlets concerning the alleged covert activities of 404 teachers from 22 universities across the country, reportedly aimed at bringing fugitive convict Sheikh Hasina, who has been sentenced to death, back to Bangladesh and reactivating a political party whose activities have been banned.” The report stated that 92 Dhaka University teachers were involved in such covert activities. So far, the identities of 58 of those teachers have been identified. If the names of any additional teachers are identified, the committee will also investigate their cases and make necessary recommendations.

Two male students of Dhaka University’s Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall have been expelled from the hall and their residential seats permanently cancelled over the allegation of engaging in ‘homosexuality’. A notice issued by the hall authorities today, signed by the provost, said that a three-member investigation committee had been formed following a complaint against the students on August 2, 2026. The committee reportedly found their involvement in the incident, which the authorities said was contrary to the discipline of the university and the hall. “Based on the recommendation of the committee, your residential seat has been cancelled and you have been permanently expelled from the hall,” the notice said. The two students are first-year students of the 2025–26 academic session. They were residents of Room 119 in the old building of Mujib Hall. A video that went viral on social media reportedly showed the two in an intimate situation. Attempts to contact the accused students, however, were unsuccessful. The hall union’s vice-president Muslimur Rahman said strict administrative action had been taken after evidence was found supporting allegations of “serious social indiscipline (homosexuality)” against the two residential students. He said the students had been permanently expelled from the hall and were immediately removed from the premises in the presence of their local guardians. Further disciplinary action against them through the university administration is also being pursued, he added. Earlier, on July 30, a student of Surja Sen Hall was detained over an allegation of involvement in “homosexuality” and was later permanently expelled from the hall. In another recent incident, similar allegations were raised against two guests staying in the room of the hall union’s Assistant General Secretary (AGS) of Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Hall. Following the incident, the AGS’s residential seat was temporarily cancelled.

The current term of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) 2025 will expire on September 12. The Dhaka University unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir has demanded the prompt publication of a clear roadmap for the next DUCSU election. The organization also called for the announcement of an election schedule and for a free, fair, impartial and participatory election to be held within the stipulated timeframe. DUCSU holds protest march against decision to defang NTRCA in teachers' recruitment Leaders of Chhatra Shibir made the demands during a meeting with Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. ABM Obaidul Islam on Wednesday (August 12). Later, Dhaka University unit Chhatra Shibir President Muhammad Muhiu­ddin and Organizing Secretary Sazzad Hossain Khan spoke to journalists. Muhiu­ddin said the DUCSU election is a regular and institutional process. However, with the current term of DUCSU nearing its end, the university administration has yet to make any decision on when and how the next election will be held. He said the university treasurer had informed them that no decision had yet been made regarding the next DUCSU election. As a result, the process of sending a letter to the University Grants Commission (UGC) regarding the election and allocating the necessary budget had also not progressed. He further alleged that there had been a tendency to suspend DUCSU elections under various political governments in the past. According to him, elections were kept suspended due to political concerns that DUCSU, as an important platform for students to express their views, could exert pressure on those in power. Muhiu­ddin said the meeting also discussed the need for justice over the attack at Shahbagh Police Station and attacks on students, elected student representatives and journalists at various locations on the Dhaka University campus. He alleged that despite sufficient video footage and other evidence of the incidents, the university administration was delaying the process in the name of investigations. He claimed that even after several months, no effective action had been taken over the attacks. Muhiu­ddin said the university administration had informed them that the investigation report would be made public by Sunday or Monday. He warned that if the report was not published within the stipulated timeframe, they would take necessary strong measures to ensure its publication. Meanwhile, Chhatra Shibir Organizing Secretary Sazzad Hossain accused the university administration of “delaying and making excuses” over the DUCSU election. He said DUCSU is an important right of the university’s students and that this right had been obstructed at various times due to political influence from the ruling party. He further alleged that while the administration takes swift decisions on various issues under pressure from the ruling political party, it has been reluctant to investigate or take action over attacks on elected student representatives and students. They also demanded that the university administration provide the necessary support and ensure an appropriate institutional environment for elected DUCSU representatives to carry out their activities. Regarding the next DUCSU election, Vice-Chancellor Professor Obaidul Islam said the administration would soon call the necessary meetings to follow the established process for holding the election. “We have a process that we have to follow to hold the DUCSU election. I will soon call all the necessary meetings and proceed according to that process,” he said. He added, “Even if they had not come, I had already thought about this. Two days ago, I myself planned to set a date for a meeting. Since I am busy this week, I will call the meeting next week and initiate the process.”

Two unidentified miscreants allegedly attacked a teacher of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) in the Mujgunni Residential Area of Khulna city on Wednesday afternoon. The victim, Prof Dr Md Rafiqul Islam of KUET's Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, filed a complaint with Khalishpur Police Station in this regard, said Sub-Inspector Biplab Sheikh. KUET student suspended for stabbing fellow student He said the two attackers approached Prof Rafiqul on a motorcycle while he was walking towards the main road from his residence and struck him on the neck before fleeing. Police collected CCTV footage from the area, but the motorcycle had no number plate and the faces of the attackers could not be clearly identified, the SI said. No visible injury marks were found on the teacher’s body, he said, adding that police were investigating the incident.

Two students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) drowned in a pond on the university campus in Raozan upazila of Chattogram on Wednesday. The deceased were identified as Arnab Chando, 22, a student of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and Shanto Dev, 23, a student of the Department of Civil Engineering. Child dies after drowning in pond in Sylhet According to fellow students, the two went to the pond adjacent to Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall at noon to bathe after playing football. They drowned while swimming in the middle of the pond. Arnab was rescued about 20 minutes after he went missing, while Shanto was rescued around 45 minutes later. They were taken to Evercare Hospital in Chattogram, where doctors declared them dead. CUET Student Welfare Director Prof Saiful Islam said the bodies were kept at the hospital. The families of the deceased were informed and further action will be taken according to their wishes, he said. The incident comes less than two weeks after another CUET student, Arnab Saha, 22, drowned in the same pond on July 28. Arnab Saha was a student of the 2021-22 academic session in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Jagannath Hall clinched the men’s title while Ruqayyah Hall emerged champions in the women’s category of the Dhaka University Inter-Hall Handball Competition. Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Hall finished runners-up in the men’s category, while Shamsun Nahar Hall secured the runners-up position in the women’s category. In the men’s category, Manik Hasan Mir of Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall was named the top scorer after netting 24 goals. Md Monayem Biswas of Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Hall was adjudged the best goalkeeper, while Gathi Dard of Jagannath Hall was named the best player. In the women’s category, Ruqayyah Hall’s Ishrat Jahan emerged the top scorer with 22 goals, while Tithi Rani was named the best goalkeeper. Lamia Akter Lima of Shamsun Nahar Hall was adjudged the best player. Following the competition, a prize-giving ceremony was held at the Physical Education Centre on Monday. Prof Dr Md Shariful Islam, president of the Dhaka University Handball Committee, chaired the programme. Prof Dr S M Mostafa Al Mamun, adviser to the Physical Education Centre, officials of the centre, DUCSU leaders, and teachers and students from different halls were present at the event.

Female students of Dhaka University have issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the university's vice chancellor to lift the ‘evening curfew’ imposed on them, as DU female students are not allowed to enter or go out form halls from 10pm to 6am without prior permission from a higher authority. Protesting students submitted a memorandum to the VC, Prof. Dr. ABM Obaidul Islam this afternoon mentioning three demands under the banner of Oborodhbashini. They also submitted a memorandum with the same demands on 27 July.   The demands include abolishing discriminatory evening curfew in female halls (10pm to 6am) immediately and ensuring 24-hour unrestricted movement along with overall security for all female students; allowing female students to enter any female hall upon showing a valid ID card and stay overnight with proper permission; ensuring the rights for all female relatives to enter in the halls. The students are saying, the ‘British evening curfew law’ still continues on the pretext of security for women, even 105 years after the birth of the university. Instead of emphasizing comprehensive security, this tradition of gender discrimination is creating administrative harassment, shrinking the cultural, social and political scope for females.   The university administration kept stalling even after repeated demand from female students to lift the evening curfew after the July mass uprising. “After the July uprising, although female students demanded the abolition of the curfew on several occasions, the administration stalled and evaded the issue. The newly appointed VC is also trying to avoid,” they said. They said, “under these circumstances, we expect necessary steps to be taken to implement all our demands unconditionally within the next 48 hours. Otherwise, we will be compelled to adopt a rigorous course of action to secure the students' legitimate demands.”