Tensions have escalated at Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU) following an attack linked to ongoing protests demanding the removal of the Vice Chancellor. The unrest stems from a six-month-long conflict between Vice Chancellor Professor Kazi Rafiqul Islam and Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor S.M. Hemayet Jahan. A case has been filed against 26 individuals after the attack on a group of BNP-affiliated teachers, officers, and employees, with one arrest already made.

The dispute began after the 57th Regent Board meeting in December, where disagreements over promotions and administrative decisions divided the faculty. Subsequent incidents, including the removal of a dean and allegations of forced signatures on official documents, deepened the rift. Both sides have accused each other of corruption, irregularities, and political bias, leading to a prolonged deadlock in university governance.

Teachers and officials continue sit-in protests demanding punishment for those involved in the attack. The Vice Chancellor claims a vested group is destabilizing the campus to conceal past irregularities, while the Pro-Vice Chancellor’s faction blames the administration for mismanagement and authoritarian practices.