Complete Shutdown in Engineering Universities as Students Boycott Exams
On August 28, 2025, engineering universities across Bangladesh, including BUET, CUET, RUET, and KUET, as well as engineering faculties in other science and technology universities, observed a "complete shutdown" as part of a protest led by the Engineer Rights Movement. The students, demanding reforms in the engineering profession, announced this program during a press conference on Wednesday night, August 27, 2025. As a result, all academic activities, including classes and examinations, were boycotted on Thursday, August 28, 2025.
Sakibul Haque Lipu, General Secretary of the Engineer Rights Movement, told The Daily Campus, “All engineering universities and engineering faculties of science and technology universities across the country are under a complete shutdown. We have boycotted today’s exams, and our shutdown program is ongoing.” Observations at BUET confirmed the absence of students in several departments, with security personnel noting that the campus was already closed for the weekly holiday, though some administrative staff were present. Masud Rana, a security guard at BUET’s Mechanical Engineering building, stated, “The shutdown has been in effect since yesterday.”
The protests stem from a three-point demand raised by the students, which began with a sit-in at Shahbagh, Dhaka, on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. On Wednesday, August 27, students blocked Shahbagh intersection around 11:00 AM as part of their pre-announced program. Around 1:30 PM, when they attempted to march toward the Chief Adviser’s residence, ‘Jamuna,’ they faced resistance from police near the Intercontinental Hotel. The police used sound grenades, tear gas, water cannons, and batons, resulting in injuries to several students. By 5:30 PM, the students regrouped at Shahbagh and continued their protest until 10:30 PM, when they dispersed.
The students’ three demands are:
- Recruitment for 9th-grade Assistant Engineer posts must be through competitive examinations, with a minimum qualification of a BSc in Engineering.
- The 10th-grade posts, currently open only to diploma holders, should also be accessible to those with higher degrees, such as BSc engineers.
- Only those with a BSc in Engineering should be legally permitted to use the title “Engineer,” with appropriate legal measures to enforce this.
In response to the protests, the interim government formed a committee on August 27, 2025, led by Muhammad Fawzul Kabir Khan, to evaluate the legitimacy of the demands from both BSc engineers and diploma holders and to provide recommendations within a month. However, the students remain steadfast, rejecting the committee and continuing their movement. At a press conference near the Intercontinental Hotel on August 27, student representative Zubayer Ahmed announced five additional demands, including a public apology from Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury for the police actions, government coverage of medical expenses for injured students, and immediate reforms to the committee to include university teacher representatives and stakeholders from the Engineer Rights Movement.
The students have vowed to persist with their shutdown and announced further programs, including a press conference at 5:00 PM on August 28 at the Institution of Engineers’ Council Hall to outline their next steps. The movement has caused significant disruptions, including traffic congestion in Shahbagh and surrounding areas, drawing public attention to the ongoing conflict between BSc and diploma engineers.
