A group of 80 students from Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) has set out for Dhaka in two buses at 8 AM, aiming to meet Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus regarding their six-point demand, including the removal of the Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor and the appointment of new officials. Before departure, students, wearing red cloths tied around their heads and eyes, held a press briefing, stating that they feel unsafe on campus. They plan to submit a memorandum to the Chief Advisor and relocate to a safe place, refusing to return until security is ensured. Online classes will continue in the meantime.

Responding to claims by the Vice-Chancellor and some faculty members that their demands have been met, the students dismissed these as false. They alleged that the perpetrators of violence have been identified, yet authorities have only charged unknown individuals instead of the real attackers. They pointed to the “Bloody KUET Exhibition,” which displayed clear evidence, including names, photographs, and identities of armed assailants, yet no action has been taken.

Despite five days passing since the incident, the government has not provided any assurance of support. The students described the brutal attack on unarmed individuals with machetes and sharp weapons, stating that such violence has not occurred in any academic institution since the July Revolution. They reported severe injuries, including head wounds and severed hands.

They criticized the interim government, which emerged from the July Revolution, for failing to communicate even after the bloodshed of over 150 students. They insisted the government must take responsibility for their suffering. Despite sending a memorandum via email three days prior, they have received no response. The campus remains unsafe, with no security personnel except university guards, even though military intervention should have been provided. Students are currently ensuring their own security.

The students also reported that those living off-campus are being pressured by landlords to vacate their residences and are receiving threats. Both they and their families are living in constant fear, feeling abandoned and unprotected.

They reiterated that the Vice-Chancellor’s claim of addressing their demands is baseless. They accused the administration of protecting the perpetrators, particularly those affiliated with the BNP and the student wing Chhatra Dal, while ignoring calls for justice. They believe the KUET administration itself is part of the problem.

The clashes originated from disputes over the demand to ban student politics, culminating in a violent confrontation with Chhatra Dal on February 18, which left over 50 injured.