Students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) have announced a fresh one-day shutdown for Monday, protesting the decision to assign Professor Kazi Delwar Hossain the vice-chancellor's routine duties for just one day.
The announcement comes shortly after students resumed classes and examinations following a prolonged academic shutdown.
The students announced the programme in an emergency statement issued on Sunday evening, alleging that the one-day arrangement had raised concerns over the university's administrative stability and academic environment.
They warned that further programmes would be announced if their demands and objections were not properly addressed.
During the shutdown, they will boycott all classes, examinations and administrative activities conducted under the one-day acting VC arrangement.
Earlier on Sunday afternoon, students staged a demonstration on the campus, protesting the decision.
According to university sources, CUET Vice-Chancellor Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam is scheduled to attend a meeting of the University Grants Commission (UGC) in Dhaka on Monday. In his absence, Professor Kazi Delwar Hossain, dean of the Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, has been assigned the vice-chancellor's routine administrative and academic responsibilities.
The decision was communicated through an email sent by the vice-chancellor on Sunday.
In the email, Sheikh Shariful Alam said he would be in Dhaka on November 2 to attend an official UGC meeting. To ensure the smooth continuation of the university's administrative and academic activities during his absence, Professor Delwar Hossain had been authorised to perform the vice-chancellor's routine duties alongside his own responsibilities, in accordance with the relevant statutory provisions.
The arrangement took effect on the afternoon of November 1 and will remain in force until the evening of November 2.
When contacted, Professor Kazi Delwar Hossain described the matter as a "regular issue" and declined to comment further.
Meanwhile, the newly appointed vice-chancellor, Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam, has yet to return to the campus since the Puja vacation, despite the resumption of regular working days.
On September 21, Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) was appointed CUET vice-chancellor, replacing Professor Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem.
