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Students of Khulna University (KU) have locked all academic and administrative buildings, bringing university operations to a halt, in protest over sexual harassment allegations against two teachers and the arrest of a canteen worker accused of secretly filming students in a women’s dormitory washroom.
The campus was effectively shut down on Thursday night after prolonged talks between students and the university administration failed to reach a resolution.
The protesters declared an indefinite suspension of academic and administrative activities, saying the shutdown would continue until there is visible progress on their three-point demand.
The students demanded exemplary punishment for the canteen worker accused of recording videos inside the women’s dormitory washroom and accountability for hall authorities over alleged security lapses.
They also called for the permanent dismissal of two teachers facing sexual harassment allegations and the cancellation of the registration of the recently formed Spandan-24 club.
In response, the university formed a five-member committee to investigate the hidden-camera incident and asked it to submit its report within three working days.
Authorities also cancelled the canteen lease of the accused worker, banned hall employees from carrying mobile phones inside dormitories, and decided not to employ male workers in the cafeterias of two women’s halls.
Separate investigations into the allegations against the two teachers are also underway, with reports expected within seven working days, the university said.
Meanwhile, the accused canteen worker, Imam Hasan, has been arrested and sent to jail after a case was filed against him under the Pornography Control Act, 2012, police said.
Despite the administration’s measures, protesting students said they would continue their movement until their demands are met, leaving the resumption of normal academic activities uncertain.