CUET remains tense for 22nd day  

CHATTOGRAM, Oct 14: The situation at Chattogram University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) remained tense on Wednesday for 22nd day, following the rescue of the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam from the confinement.

In a statement, the newly appointed VC clarified that he has neither resigned nor given any guarantee that he will not return to the campus. 

He stated that he left the campus solely due to illness after being confined for 30 hours without electricity and water. He intends to resume his duties at the university as soon as he recovers.

The campus remains under a complete shutdown. Protesting students, teachers, and staffers are holding firm on their core demands including the immediate removal of the newly appointed VC and the reinstatement of the former VC, Professor Dr. Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem. 

The campus still remains highly volatile following complete shutdown enforced by the protesting students and the teachers.

On Monday, the new VC entered the administrative building by breaking padlocks previously put up by protesters. In response, students locked him inside and cut off electricity and water lines.

On Tuesday evening, top district officials and police personnel escorted the VC out of the room under heavy guard and took him to Chattogram Medical College Hospital. 

Students allowed him to leave only under condition that he “never set foot on CUET grounds again”�"a claim the VC has now explicitly rejected.

Academic and administrative activities at CUET remain entirely suspended as the university enters its fourth week of stalemate.

Shariful said he had come to Chattogram to fulfil the responsibility entrusted to him by the state, not for any personal interest, specific agenda or political purpose.

The vice-chancellor urged media outlets to verify information, seek comments from the people concerned and follow the principles of objective journalism before publishing reports.

He also requested that any incorrect or misleading information already published be corrected to reflect what he described as the actual circumstances.