Students of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (Ruet), and other engineering universities have announced a boycott of classes and exams, placing three demands over recruitment and promotion issues. The move was declared by a platform named Engineering Rights Movement, which is campaigning against the recruitment of diploma holders in the ninth grade at the expense of engineering university graduates.
Confirming the program, Sakibul Haque Lipu, general secretary of the Engineering Rights Movement and a student of RUET, told Bangla Tribune on Saturday (23 August) afternoon that in the first phase, classes and exams will be suspended on 24, 25, and 26 August. He warned that the movement will become stricter if their demands are not met, though it is currently limited to class and exam boycotts.
A statement from Buet’s general students highlighted the concerns behind the protest. It said diploma holders are being promoted to BCS cadre positions without sitting for the BCS examination, even when they lack the minimum qualification of a graduate degree. By entering tenth-grade non-cadre posts in departments such as Public Works, Roads and Highways, Railway, Technical, and Public Health Engineering, diploma holders become BCS cadre members after five years.
The students also cited discrimination against BSc engineers through illegal seniority practices. Even if a BSc engineer is recruited earlier in a given year, a diploma holder promoted later in the same year is prioritized in all subsequent promotions. The statement called this a clear attempt to keep BSc engineers junior.
It further noted that when job circulars favor diploma holders over BSc engineers for ninth-grade assistant engineer positions, diploma holders file writs or lawsuits to stop the recruitment. As a result, BSc engineers’ appointments are delayed, and institutions are forced to assign promotions to diploma holders in acting or current roles.
The students’ three demands are:
- All candidates entering engineering ninth grade or assistant engineer or equivalent posts must pass a recruitment exam and hold at least a BSc degree. No promotion through quotas or creation of equivalent posts under other names will be allowed.
- Recruitment exams for technical tenth-grade or sub-assistant engineer or equivalent posts must be open to both diploma and BSc degree holders.
- Appropriate legal action must be taken against those using the engineer title without a BSc degree, and non-accredited BSc engineering courses must be brought under IEB-BAETE accreditation following proper procedures.
