In a latest development at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), several hundred Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists, led by central committee members, gathered at the BUET Shaheed Minar area on Sunday afternoon. They laid wreaths at the mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and staged a demonstration, blocking the road in the vicinity.

Earlier in the day, BCL activists organized a rally in the Central Shaheed Minar area from 11:00am to 1:00pm, protesting against the ban on politics on the BUET campus, asserting it infringed upon people's democratic rights.

Responding to the situation, BUET Vice-Chancellor Satya Prasad Majumder stated, "If the teachers and students desire, politics can be reintroduced on the university campus."

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Muktijuddho Moncha issued a press release on Saturday demanding the lifting of the ban on politics at BUET. They also announced plans for a human chain and protest rally at Dhaka University campus on Sunday at 4:00pm.

The backdrop to these events stems from BUET's decision to ban student politics on the campus following nationwide protests sparked by the brutal murder of Abrar Fahad, a second-year student, on October 7, 2019. Fahad was fatally beaten by leaders and activists of the BCL over a Facebook post criticizing the government's dealings with India.

In connection with Fahad's murder, on December 8, 2021, the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 sentenced 20 individuals to death and five others to life imprisonment.

The ongoing tension at BUET persisted on Sunday as protesting students boycotted all academic activities, including examinations, for the third consecutive day. The students, demanding the fulfillment of a six-point charter, postponed their movement scheduled for Sunday morning. They plan to announce their next steps after a meeting with the vice-chancellor and a subsequent press conference.

The students' demands include the permanent expulsion of certain students allegedly involved in organizing a previous demonstration, an explanation from university authorities regarding the infiltration of outsiders onto campus, the resignation of the Director of the Directorate of Students' Welfare, security assurances, and a written commitment to refrain from harassing protesters.

The situation remains fluid as BUET grapples with the aftermath of recent events, with student protests continuing amidst calls for policy reform and institutional accountability.