Students at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet) are observing a second consecutive day of an all-out shutdown and mass signature campaign protesting the decision to replace Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem just 56 days after he assumed office.
Students closed the university’s main gate from inside on Wednesday morning and began the shutdown and mass signature campaign. They have been protesting the decision since Monday night.
On Tuesday, alongside the shutdown, leaders of the Cuet Teachers’ Association formed a human chain in front of the vice-chancellor’s residence, demanding his reinstatement.
No classes or examinations were held at Cuet on Wednesday due to the protests. Administrative activities also remained suspended as the administrative building was locked.
Students have been chanting slogans demanding the reinstatement of Professor Sayem, who assumed office on July 27.
In a press release issued by the students on Tuesday, they said they learned on the evening of Monday that the Ministry of Education’s Secondary and Higher Education Division had appointed Professor Dr Sheikh Shariful Alam, a professor in the Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering Department at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), as Cuet’s new vice-chancellor.
The same notification announced the decision to replace Professor Sayem.
The students said they had announced an all-out shutdown and mass sit-in to protest the decision and would continue their movement until Sayem was reinstated.
They also said the notification did not mention any reason for the change.
According to the students, Professor Sayem had gained their confidence within a short period by communicating directly with students, listening to their problems and taking prompt initiatives on academic and administrative matters.
After news of the appointment of the new vice-chancellor spread, students began a protest procession from Swadhinata Chattar on campus around 10:30pm on Monday.
The procession passed through various academic buildings, residential halls and the teachers’ residential area. Around 11pm, female students from different halls also joined the procession.
The students later locked the administrative building. A white paper attached to the lock read: “Only Sayem Sir can open this lock.”
Meanwhile, students have been observing the all-out shutdown and mass signature campaign since Wednesday morning.
“Our Vice-Chancellor Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem sir has been removed after only 56 days. He is a qualified and student-friendly vice-chancellor. We want him reinstated. The movement will continue until a decision is made to reinstate him,” a protesting student said.
Farhan Hasnat Adib, a third-year student of the Department of Mechanical Engineering who took part in the mass signature campaign, said Sayem was removed from the vice-chancellor’s post without prior notice on September 21.
“We held a protest procession on Monday night in response. Yesterday, Tuesday, we observed a complete shutdown at Cuet. Today, on the second day of our movement, we are holding a mass signature campaign, which we will submit to the higher authorities. Our peaceful movement will continue until our demands are met,” he said.
Cuet Director of Student Welfare Professor Saiful Islam said: “The students did not attend classes. Therefore, it was not possible to begin any academic activities.”
