Dr. Md. Hazrat Ali, the interim Vice-Chancellor of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), has resigned in the face of growing discontent among the university’s faculty and students. He submitted his resignation to the Ministry of Education on Thursday, May 22. The resignation was confirmed by KUET’s Deputy Registrar, Abdur Rahman.

Over the past few weeks, teachers and students had been expressing strong dissatisfaction with Dr. Ali’s leadership. On Wednesday, the KUET Teachers’ Association officially declared a vote of no confidence against the interim Vice-Chancellor. The association’s General Secretary, Professor Md. Faruk Hossain, stated that they demanded his immediate resignation to resolve the ongoing administrative crisis at the university.

Tensions further escalated on Thursday when teachers and students, under the banner of Teachers and Students of KUET, organized a human chain at the foot of the campus’s ‘Durbar Bangla’ sculpture around 11:30 AM. Protesters called for the removal of Dr. Hazrat Ali and urged the authorities to appoint a competent and acceptable Vice-Chancellor who could bring an end to the stalemate.

The unrest at KUET began in April when, on the 25th, the Ministry of Education issued an order relieving then-Vice Chancellor Dr. Muhammad Masud and Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. S. K. Shariful Alam of their duties. Subsequently, on May 1, Dr. Md. Hazrat Ali, a professor in the Civil Engineering Department at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), was appointed as KUET’s interim Vice-Chancellor.

However, since taking office, Dr. Ali faced mounting criticism. Many in the KUET community questioned his administrative decisions and leadership capabilities. The dissatisfaction quickly turned into formal protest and campus-wide demonstrations demanding his resignation.

Under increasing pressure, Dr. Hazrat Ali chose to step down from the post, paving the way for the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor. KUET’s teachers and students now await the appointment of a qualified and trusted leader who can restore stability and ensure the resumption of academic activities in a peaceful environment.