Students at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology staged a midnight protest on Monday against alleged pressure, intimidation and threats targeting teachers, officers, employees and demonstrators. They demanded that Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayeem be reinstated as CUET vice-chancellor.
The march began at Swadhinata Chattar at 11:30 pm Monday. Students had started gathering there from residential halls at 11 pm while chanting slogans.
The procession moved from Swadhinata Chattar along the road beside the transport section, circled the residential area’s roundabout and returned to the square.
Students chanted slogans rejecting an ‘online VC’ and demanding Sayeem’s return as vice-chancellor.
After the march, fourth-year mechanical engineering student Sakib Hasan said the turnout answered claims that participation in the movement was declining.
Asadullah Hil Galib, a fourth-year petroleum and mining engineering student, alleged that some groups were threatening and intimidating protesters and trying to harm their family members. He said threats would not suppress the movement. The students demanded cancellation of the notification appointing KUET Professor Shariful Alam as vice-chancellor and reinstatement of Sayeem.
The Education Ministry removed Sayeem as CUET vice-chancellor in a notification on September 21 and appointed Sheikh Shariful Alam of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology to the post. CUET students began protesting for Sayeem’s reinstatement, and the movement expanded a day later to include teachers, officers and employees. Their associations are observing a full work stoppage in solidarity. The university has remained at a standstill for seven days over the leadership change.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report