CUET students continue shutdown

Students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) continued their all-out shutdown for the third consecutive day on Thursday, boycotting classes and examinations.

Around noon, students held a human chain on the university’s Central Shaheed Minar premises, demanding the withdrawal of the gazette appointing the newly appointed vice-chancellor and the order relieving Prof Sayem from his post.

Students from different departments joined the programme while continuing their boycott of classes and exams.

They carried placards bearing various slogans, including calls for Prof Dr Abu Shadat Muhammad Sayem’s return as vice-chancellor. Chants such as “Who is the VC? Who is the VC? Who else but Sayem Sir?” and “Let the streets roar, let Sayem Sir return” were heard during the demonstration.

The students also read out an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

Debojit Dash Gupta, a fourth-year student of the Department of Civil Engineering, said Prof Sayem was a versatile academic who had been highly acceptedem Sir is appointed vice-chancellor again. We have only one demand--we want Sayem Sir back as VC by students as both a teacher and vice-chancellor.

“Our movement and demands will continue until Sayem Sir is appointed vice-chancellor again. We have only one demand-- we want Sayem Sir back as VC,” he said.

Meanwhile, a mass signature campaign launched on Wednesday continued on Thursday.

As part of their announced programme, the students said they would hold a torchlight procession on the campus at 6:30PM on Thursday.