United News of Bangladesh

Jahangirnagar University (JU) has expelled two female students for two years after finding them guilty of possessing and consuming narcotics in a room at Nawab Faizunnesa Hall. The university also permanently expelled them from the residential hall and recommended filing a criminal case against one of them. Registrar ABM Azizur Rahman announced the decisions while briefing reporters after a Syndicate meeting early Tuesday at the university's administrative building. Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan chaired the meeting. The expelled students are Tanuja Tithi,  51st-batch student of the Management Studies Department, and Sanzida Amir Inisi, 48th-batch student of the Department of Drama and Dramatics. University authorities formed an investigation committee after reports of narcotics possession and consumption in Room 116 of Nawab Faizunnesa Hall. The investigation found that both students had violated the Jahangirnagar University Discipline Ordinance-2018, which strictly prohibits the possession, consumption and trading of any kind of narcotics on the university campus, including academic departments, institutes and residential halls. Based on the findings, the university's Disciplinary Board expelled both students from the university for two years and permanently barred them from staying in any residential hall. The board also recommended filing a criminal case against Tanuja Tithi under the relevant laws. On April 18, hall authorities recovered narcotics during a raid on Room 116 of Nawab Faizunnesa Hall. The room had been allocated to Tanuja Tithi, while Sanzida Amir Inisi was present there during the raid.

Khulna University (KU) authorities have issued a notice to a student journalist, seeking an explanation and supporting materials over a published news report, a move that has drawn criticism from journalists and press freedom advocates. The notice was served to Md Mirajul Islam, a student of the History and Civilization Discipline who is the university correspondent of the Daily Kaler Kantho, alleging that he had distorted and misrepresented remarks made by the university's Vice-Chancellor in a news report. According to university sources, the notice, signed by Director of Student Affairs Prof Dr Md Nazmus Sadath on June 10, reached the journalist on Sunday. The office order referred to a report titled "Tree plantation at KU to implement Prime Minister's directive," published in Kaler Kantho on June 9. The report quoted the Vice-Chancellor as saying that Khulna University had been established as a recreational destination attracting many visitors because of the lack of entertainment facilities in the city. The university administration claimed that the Vice-Chancellor's remarks were not presented accurately and that the essence of his statement had been distorted. The notice asked Mirajul to submit the sources of information, relevant audio-video recordings and a written explanation within three working days. It also warned that failure to provide a satisfactory explanation and supporting evidence within the stipulated time could lead to action under university regulations. Mirajul Islam said he had published the report objectively as part of his professional duties and possessed the necessary evidence to support it. "As a journalist, being directly asked to disclose my sources or submit audio recordings through a disciplinary notice amounts to interference in independent journalism and misuse of administrative authority," he said. "If there are objections to the report, they should be communicated to my employer or the newspaper authority. Attempting to influence my academic life through a disciplinary notice is unjustified," he added. Director of Student Affairs Prof Nazmus Sadath said the university authorities had instructed him to seek an explanation from the journalist regarding the report. "We believe the report has somewhat harmed the image of the university. That is why we have also sent a letter to Kaler Kantho," he said. Bangladesh Press Council Secretary Md Abdus Sabur said that under the council's regulations, responsibility for a published report does not rest solely with a correspondent, as editors and sub-editors are also involved in the publication process. "If clarification regarding a report is required, the letter should be addressed to the newspaper concerned," he said. Referring to the Press Council's Code of Conduct for Newspapers, News Agencies and Journalists (1993), Sabur said journalists are protected when information obtained from credible sources is published in good faith and in the public interest. "If a report is objective, accurate and supported by sufficient evidence, such actions may be viewed as interference with media freedom," he added. Meanwhile, the Khulna University Journalists' Association expressed deep concern and resentment over the notice. In a statement, the organisation said journalists are not obligated to disclose their sources or submit audio recordings to administrative authorities and described the move as an attempt to create psychological pressure on campus reporters by exploiting their status as students. The association demanded immediate withdrawal of the notice.

Teachers, students, officers and employees of Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU) accorded a warm reception to newly appointed Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Dr SM Hemayet Jahan as he joined office on Wednesday morning. He officially assumed office at 10:00am. Later, he paid homage at the university’s Shaheed Minar. The reception programme was attended by Prof Dr Md Mamun Or Rashid, VC of the University of Barishal. According to an Education Ministry notification issued on June 8, Prof Hemayet Jahan, who previously served as Pro-VC of PSTU and a professor of the Department of Entomology, was appointed VC of the university for a four-year term. The newly appointed VC expressed his commitment to transforming the university into a research-oriented institution of higher education with international standards.

Jahangirnagar University (JU) has appointed Prof Dr Khandaker Mohammad Shariful Huda of the Department of Geography and Environment as the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The university announced the appointment in an office order signed by Acting Registrar Dr ABM Azizur Rahman on Tuesday.  Jahangirnagar University gets new VC According to the order, the university relieved Prof Dr Md Shamsul Alam from his duties as Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences following his appointment as Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) and upon his request. Under Section 8(2) of the First Statute of the Jahangirnagar University Act, the university has assigned Prof Shariful Huda to serve as Acting Dean of the faculty until further notice. The order states that Prof Shariful Huda will assume the responsibility from the date of joining and continue in the role until further instructions are issued. He will also enjoy the responsibilities, powers and benefits attached to the position in accordance with existing regulations. The university further directed the outgoing and newly appointed deans to complete the charge handover process in due time and inform the relevant authorities accordingly.

Md. Muntakim Meherab, a third year student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering of Daffodil University has achieved international recognition at one of the world’s most prestigious machine learning conferences. Meherab’s paper, “Position: The Machine Learning Community Must Treat Compute Inequality as a First Class Research Problem”, has been accepted as a Spotlight Paper in the Position Track of the International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML 2026). Spotlight recognition is reserved for only the top 5 percent of submissions, underscoring the exceptional quality and impact of his research. The study highlights compute inequality — the disparity in access to advanced computational resources such as high performance computers, expensive GPUs, and funding — as a structural challenge in artificial intelligence research. Meherab argues that this inequality is not merely a technical or financial issue but one that directly affects fairness, participation, reproducibility, and the future direction of machine learning. He calls for the global AI community to treat compute inequality with the same seriousness as bias, privacy, and security. Prior to this recognition, Meherab’s research papers had already been accepted at leading international AI and machine learning conferences through workshops and bridge programs, including Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS), USA, the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), Singapore, and the International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR), Brazil. In addition, his work has been published in several Scopus indexed conferences and journals, further validating the global relevance and quality of his research. These achievements demonstrate the growing contributions of young Bangladeshi researchers to the global AI landscape and reflects Daffodil International University’s commitment to fostering innovation and excellence in computer science education. Daffodil International University (DIU), based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, is a leading institution dedicated to advancing education, research, and innovation. DIU’s Department of Computer Science and Engineering nurtures future leaders in technology, equipping students with theskills to contribute meaningfully to global scientific and technological progress.

A prayer and Milad Mahfil was held at Masjidul Jami'a, the Central Mosque of the University of Dhaka, after Asr prayers today to mark the 45th martyrdom anniversary of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman.  Before the prayers, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A.B.M. Obaidul Islam delivered a brief speech highlighting the life and contributions of Ziaur Rahman. Among those who also spoke briefly were Professor Dr. Abdus Salam, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Dr. M. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Treasurer, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the National University Professor Md. Lutfor Rahman, Dean of the Faculty of Arts at DU Professor Dr. Md. Abul Kalam Sarkar and Nahiduzzaman Shipon, General Secretary of the Dhaka University unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal. The event was attended by deans of various faculties, provosts of different residential halls, and a large number of teachers, students, officers, and employees of the university. Paying deep tribute to the memory of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, VC Obaidul Islam said that Ziaur Rahman was responsible for many of Bangladesh’s major achievements. He stated that Ziaur Rahman declared the country's independence and actively participated in the Liberation War as a sector commander. His contributions to safeguarding Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty, he said, would be remembered with respect by the nation for generations to come. The Vice-Chancellor further said that Ziaur Rahman consistently played the role of a saviour during times of national need. He introduced multiparty democracy in the country after a period of one-party rule and worked to build a self-reliant Bangladesh by addressing hunger and poverty. His honesty, patriotism, and foreign policy, he added, continue to serve as examples for all. Professor Obaidul Islam also called upon everyone to work together to establish good governance and social justice in the country by upholding the ideals of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman.

Sada Dal of Dhaka University, a BNP-leaning teachers' alliance, has strongly condemned and protested remarks made by State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj, who compared Dhaka University to a “coaching centre.” In a statement issued today, Sada Dal said the recent comments made by the state minister were “extremely derogatory and irresponsible” and unacceptable under any circumstances. The organization said Dhaka University currently ranks among the country’s leading research institutions and holds the top position among public universities in Bangladesh in terms of research and publications. According to the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia rankings, the university remains one of the country’s premier institutions for higher education and research, it added. The statement noted that nearly 56 active and specialized research bureaus and centres operate under the university’s science, arts, and social science faculties. Among them are the Centre for Advanced Research in Sciences (CARS) and the Centre for Social Science Research (CSSR). It also mentioned that teachers and students of Dhaka University publish numerous research papers every year in internationally recognized Scopus and Web of Science indexed journals. The Sada Dal alleged that while commenting on the university’s research activities, the state minister compared Dhaka University with two private universities based on “false information,” which it described as highly condemnable. The statement further said Dhaka University is not merely a higher education institution but is deeply intertwined with the history, birth, and development of independent Bangladesh. According to the statement, Dhaka University also provided historic leadership in various anti-autocracy movements in independent Bangladesh, including the anti-Ershad movement of the 1990s, resistance against the post-1/11 undemocratic government, and the 2024 anti-fascist mass uprising led by students and the public. Sada Dal also said Dhaka University has remained at the forefront of preserving Bengali culture, secular values, and the tradition of celebrating Pahela Baishakh. Despite limited budgets and what it described as state negligence, the university’s contributions to education and research continue to receive global recognition. The statement said, “Bangladesh means Dhaka University.” It termed it extremely unfortunate that a responsible state minister would make remarks such as “Dhaka University is a coaching centre” about such a historic institution closely tied to the nation’s emotions and identity. The organisation claimed that the minister’s remarks could not have come from any “sane or historically conscious individual” and instead appeared to be “ignorant ramblings.” It said such comments from a member of the government were deeply shameful and had hurt the entire university community as well as the people of the country. The statement added that the remarks had insulted current students, teachers, former teachers and alumni of the university, along with its glorious history and contributions. Demanding an immediate withdrawal of the comments, Sada Dal warned that teachers and students would be compelled to announce tougher programmes to protect the dignity of the university if the remarks were not retracted. The statement was signed by Sada Dal convener prof. Dr. Md Morshed Hasan Khan and joint conveners prof. Dr Abdus Salam and prof. Dr Md Abul Kalam Sarker.

Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister, and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said the newly established Thakurgaon University will be developed as a world-class institution free from political influence, nepotism and partisan considerations. Speaking at the inauguration of the university’s temporary office in the Tatipara area of Thakurgaon town, he stressed that all appointments – from faculty members to administrative staff – will be made solely on the basis of merit and qualifications. “We want to build Thakurgaon University into a truly world-class institution. There will be no room for political influence, favouritism or nepotism in recruitment. Only the most qualified and competent candidates will be appointed,” Fakhrul said. The temporary office has been set up on the western side of the Govt Boys’ High School ground in Thakurgaon town. Describing the university as a long-cherished aspiration of the people of the district, Fakhrul said the institution represents more than just an educational establishment. “Thakurgaon University is a reflection of the hopes and dreams of the people of this region. If we want to establish a modern and internationally competitive university, we cannot compromise on the quality of education,” he said. The BNP leader also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and the government for taking steps to establish the university. He noted that the people of Thakurgaon had long demanded both a medical college and a university, adding that the government moved quickly to fulfil the demand by establishing the university, appointing a vice-chancellor and launching its temporary office. “The inauguration of the temporary office marks an important step towards making the university fully operational,” Fakhrul said. Among others, State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad, Thakurgaon-3 MP Zahidul Islam, Vice-Chancellor of the university Dr Md Israfil, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Rafiqul Huq district BNP President Mirza Faisal Amin, among others, addressed the programme. Senior government officials, political leaders, academics, journalists and local dignitaries were also present.

Students of Khulna University (KU) staged a protest rally on Friday, condemning recent incidents of rape, brutal killings and the prevailing culture of impunity in the country. The protest was held in front of the university’s ‘Odommo Bangla’ sculpture around 5:30pm, where students demanded speedy trial and exemplary punishment for those involved in rape and murder. During the demonstration, participants chanted various protest slogans and expressed deep concern over the rising incidents of sexual violence and killings across the country. They alleged that the recurring failure to ensure justice is encouraging perpetrators and contributing to the growing trend of such crimes. Khulna University teacher suspended over ‘sexual harassment’ The students also criticized what they described as the inadequate role of the state and administration in ensuring the safety and security of women. Speaking at the rally, Zahid, a fourth-year student of the university, said, “When those elected by the people to govern the state respond to such brutal incidents with remarks that appear insensitive or mocking, it becomes a matter of shame for the entire nation.” He added that ensuring public safety is the primary responsibility of the home minister, not making controversial statements. Joining the protest in solidarity, a female student said, “We now feel unsafe even moving alone during the daytime. We are afraid of riding autorickshaws alone and even feel uncomfortable walking alone inside university campuses.” She called for ensuring safe movement and security for all citizens regardless of gender. Another fourth-year student, Tanvir, said, “We are living in a reality where governments change over time, but the condition of ordinary people remains unchanged. The existing state structure has repeatedly failed to ensure citizens’ safety.” He stressed the need for immediate and exemplary punishment for offenders to curb rape and violence against women. Another student, Rad, said people no longer want to witness delays in the name of justice. He demanded quick disposal of rape cases and maximum punishment for the perpetrators. He also proposed formation of a separate commission under the law and home ministries to expedite investigations and trials related to rape cases. The protesters urged the authorities concerned to take effective measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents and ensure women’s safety across the country.

Professor Mohammad Iqbal, the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) in Gazipur, finally joined office on Thursday amid a ‘complete shutdown’ enforced by a section of students. He entered the DUET campus in the afternoon under tight security amid ongoing student protests. As weekly and Eid holidays begin from Friday (May 22), the campus was almost empty, with most students having already left the university halls for home. Later in the afternoon, the Vice-Chancellor formally assumed office and began carrying out his duties. He also exchanged views with teachers and university staff. Professor Dr Mohammad Iqbal said he has been performing his responsibilities since joining on Sunday. He said he has already signed more than 100 official files, including salary and leaveapprovals for university officials and employees. He also said efforts would be made to discuss and resolve the issues raised by the protesting students. Earlier, anti-VC protesters enforced ‘red card’ and ‘blockade’ programmes, bringing academic and administrative activities on the campus to a halt. The protesting students vowed to continue their movement until their three-point demand is met. Their demands include cancellation of the appointment of Professor Dr Mohammad Iqbal and the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor from among DUET teachers currently serving at the university. The unrest began after the government appointed Dr Mohammad Iqbal, a teacher of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, as the new VC of DUET. Soon after the announcement, a section of DUET students rejected the appointment and demanded that the Vice-Chancellor be appointed from within the university.