CUET students march blindfolded on ninth day of VC reinstatement protest

Students protesting at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) marched with black cloth tied over their eyes on Wednesday, protesting what they described as the administration’s lack of effective action over their demands.

The march was part of the ninth day of demonstrations seeking the reinstatement of Professor Dr Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem as the university’s vice-chancellor.

The procession began at around 1:30pm from the university’s Central Shaheed Minar premises. The protesting students covered their eyes with black cloth, which they said symbolised the administration’s silence over their demands.

The procession passed along the road beside the university’s medical centre, circled Swadhinata Chattar and returned to the Shaheed Minar, where it ended.

During the march, students chanted slogans including, “Why is the administration silent? We want answers, we want answers,” “VC sir, VC sir, Sayem sir, Sayem sir,” and “We have only one demand, we want Sayem sir as VC.”

Ejaz Mahmud Khan, a fourth-year student of CUET’s Department of Civil Engineering, said the students had been continuing their peaceful movement for around a week but had received no response from the administration.

“We have been carrying out our peaceful movement at CUET for around seven to eight days. But we are deeply disappointed to see that there has been no response from the administration. In protest against this silence, we tied black cloth over our eyes this afternoon,” he said.