CUET Students to Resume One-Day ‘Shutdown’

Students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) will observe a one-day “shutdown” on campus on Monday to protest a faculty member being assigned to perform the vice-chancellor’s routine duties.

The announcement came a day after students called off their initial shutdown movement on Sunday following more than a month of protests. Students, teachers and university officers began demonstrating on September 22, demanding the reinstatement of former vice-chancellor Professor Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem, who was removed by the government a day earlier without any specific reason, according to the protesters.

The demonstrators also demanded the resignation of newly appointed vice-chancellor Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam and called for Sayem’s return, arguing that he was equally competent for the position.

On September 25, the protesters suspended their movement after Professor Shariful Alam left campus to seek medical treatment due to deteriorating health. His departure followed an incident in which a group of students confined him to a university building for around 30 hours.

However, on Sunday, Professor Shariful Alam instructed Professor Kazi Delwar Hossain, dean of the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, to perform the vice-chancellor’s routine duties.

The decision prompted renewed opposition from students, who rejected the appointment of anyone to serve in an acting capacity on behalf of Professor Shariful Alam. In a statement issued on Sunday evening, they announced their decision to resume the shutdown for one day on Monday.