Kuet Teachers' Association stage sit-in over delayed disciplinary action

The teachers' association of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) staged a sit-in protest at the university's vice-chancellor's office today.

The protests were over the administration's failure to complete the judicial process regarding a three-month-old incident of teacher harassment and campus clashes, according to the association.

More than a hundred teachers joined the protest, which began at 12:00pm and continued for an hour. The teachers' association held a general meeting yesterday afternoon in the administrative building, where it was decided that the movement would be intensified. They had earlier met with the VC to present their demands.

The association accused the authorities of showing indifference in taking action against those responsible, which according to them has hindered the restoration of a conducive academic environment and the resumption of normal educational activities.

Later, students from the university's 19th batch expressed solidarity with the protesting teachers.

Following the sit-in, the teachers relocated from the VC's office to the ground floor of the administrative building, where they addressed the media and announced that daily sit-ins would continue from 11:30am to 12:00pm in front of the administrative building, starting today.

The teachers have been abstaining from academic activities since May 4.

"We are continuing our movement to protest the physical and cyberbullying our colleagues have faced," said Kuet Teachers' Association President Md Shahidul Islam at the end of today's protest.

"Since May 4, we have refrained from taking part in any educational activities, and from yesterday, we also stopped participating in administrative tasks."

He further said, "We had given the VC a deadline until noon today to initiate disciplinary action or hold a meeting, but nothing happened. So we are compelled to continue our protest."

"Tomorrow, we will observe the situation until noon and consult among ourselves to decide on further steps based on the general teachers' consensus," he added.

The association's general secretary, Faruq Hossain, said the incidents from February have led to a deadlock on campus.

"The new administration initially took steps, but then suddenly stopped. Now, the entire university is virtually held hostage, and everyone — teachers and students alike — are worried about returning to normalcy," he said.

He also criticised the VC's absence during this crucial period.

"This morning, we had a brief conversation with the VC, but he couldn't provide any clear statement. He left for an external program to Dhaka without delegating responsibilities or communicating with relevant authorities. This is very unfortunate," said Faruq.

In a press conference afterwards, they alleged that the administration was stalling disciplinary proceedings beyond the legal framework of the university, prioritising the interests of a few students and appeasing an "invisible higher authority" instead of ensuring justice.

During their general meeting on May 5, the association demanded that the university identify those responsible for the incidents of February 18 and 19 and ensure justice within seven working days.

The association has also urged the university to scrap a "punitive list" against certain students and called for an impartial probe into the assault on teachers.

Efforts to reach Kuet Registrar Md Anisur Rahman Bhuiyan and Acting VC Hazrat Ali for comment were unsuccessful.