CUET students take protest to Chattogram Press Club demanding VC reinstatement

Students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) held a human chain and sit-in outside Chattogram Press Club on Tuesday, demanding the reinstatement of former vice-chancellor Prof Dr Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem.

The programme was held from 3:30pm to 5pm as part of the students’ ongoing movement. More than 100 students travelled around 23 kilometres from the CUET campus to the press club area in five buses, while many others joined the protest from different parts of Chattogram city.

Students held placards reading “PM, intervene to make CUET functional”, “CUET Revolts for Sayem Sir” and “PM, Consider Our Appeal”. They also chanted slogans including “One-point, one demand, resignation of the online VC” and “Our only demand, Sayem Sir as VC”.

At the human chain, Asadullah Hill Galib, a fourth-year student of the Petroleum and Mining Engineering Department, said the students had been protesting peacefully for 15 days but had yet to see any effective steps to resolve the crisis.

“We have been carrying out a peaceful movement for 15 days. But so far, we have not seen any effective steps to resolve this crisis. We condemn this. It is an unprecedented example in Bangladesh’s history that students, teachers and officials of a university all want the same person as vice-chancellor. We hope the government will respect our demand and reinstate Sayem Sir as vice-chancellor.”

Fourth-year students Ahnaf Shahriar Arnab, Mahira Tajrin and Zulkarnain Mihad read out a written statement at the programme.

In the statement, the students said there was no justification for prolonging the crisis at CUET and that the continued shutdown was seriously affecting thousands of students’ classes, examinations, research and academic futures.

“The students have not stood against the state. Rather, they are seeking a fair reconsideration of an unexplained administrative decision. Without seeking any special privilege, we want the government to restore a normal academic environment at CUET and consider the initiatives undertaken by Prof Dr Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem during his 56-day tenure.”

The students also called for a quick and clear decision from the government and direct intervention from the prime minister to reinstate Sayem.

Imdadul Haque, a third-year student of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, said the students had been peacefully demanding Sayem’s reinstatement for days but had received no effective decision.

“We have been demanding the reinstatement of Prof Dr Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem as vice-chancellor peacefully for a long time. But no effective decision has yet been taken on our demand. That is why we have been forced to come outside the campus to raise our demand. We want the government to consider the matter quickly, resolve the ongoing crisis at CUET and reinstate Sir.”

Prof Dr Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem was removed as CUET vice-chancellor on September 21, when Prof Sheikh Shariful Alam of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) was appointed as his replacement.

Students began protesting the change on the same day, saying Sayem was removed just 56 days after taking charge. They launched a “complete shutdown” at the university the following day, September 22.

On the 15th day of the movement, CUET’s academic and administrative activities remain suspended as students continue to demand Sayem’s reinstatement. They have so far organised a red-card display, torch procession and masked procession, among other programmes, but the deadlock remains unresolved.