Students declare all-out shutdown at CUET

Students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) have announced an all-out shutdown on campus protesting the decision to replace the university’s vice-chancellor (VC), demanding the reinstatement of Professor Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem.

The students announced the shutdown on Tuesday, saying they would continue their movement until their demand is met.

CUET student Abdullah Al Galib said, “We do not know why our VC was removed. We want Sir to be reinstated. Our movement will continue until our demand is fulfilled.''

The announcement came after students staged a protest march on campus on Monday night demanding the reinstatement of Professor Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem, who was recently removed from the post. They later locked the VC’s office building.

The protesters said they were unable to accept the sudden decision to replace the vice-chancellor and vowed to continue their protests until the decision is withdrawn and Sayem is reinstated.

The protest march began around 10:30PM Monday from Swadhinata Chattar. Both male and female students took part in the procession.

Although the residential halls had been closed around 8pm, a number of female students came out of their halls around 11PM to join the protest. The protesters marched through different parts of the campus, chanting slogans.

The procession passed various academic buildings, female residential halls and the teachers’ residential area before returning to Swadhinata Chattar around midnight.

The students then went to the VC’s residence/office area and put a lock on the building.

University sources said Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam, of the Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), has been appointed as the new VC of CUET, replacing Professor Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem.

The students’ protest and shutdown were announced in response to the appointment.