Engineering students announce nationwide shutdown
Staff Reporter :
Engineering students from across Bangladesh have announced a continued nationwide shutdown of all engineering universities and institutions, vowing to persist until their three-point demand is met.
The declaration came during a press conference held at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB), following a protest march towards the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) headquarters on Thursday.
The students’ three key demands are: Abolition of the 33% promotion quota in engineering-related government jobs; Opening technical grade positions to more qualified candidates, based on merit and academic background; and Restricting the use of the title “Engineer” exclusively to those with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSc) degree.
Protesters emphasised that their movement would continue with peaceful campus shutdowns and regional assemblies across the country.
These will culminate in a national engineers’ rally. They also demanded justice for any attacks on students, warning of more intense action if their demands are not met.
Mahmudur Rahman Shahid, adviser to the Engineer Rights Council, criticised authorities for their inaction over threats and assaults on students, particularly in Rangpur. “No action has been taken. The advisors have done nothing,” he said.
Citing the Bangladesh National Qualifications Framework (BNQF), Shahid explained that diploma holders cannot attain BSc equivalency based solely on work experience.
“There is no scope for advancing from Level 6 (Diploma) to Level 7 (BSc) without meeting academic qualifications. This is the international standard,” he added. Earlier in the evening, hundreds of engineering students, including those from BUET, blocked the intersection near Matsya Bhaban in Dhaka, chanting slogans such as “Abu Sayeed Mugdha – the fight is not over”, “Merit, not quota”, and “Action to action, direct action.”
Traffic in the area came to a halt, causing inconvenience to commuters. In a symbolic move, students also burned an effigy of Ramna Division Deputy Commissioner of Police Masud Alam.
In response to the movement, Faozul Kabir Khan, Adviser to the Ministries of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources; Road Transport and Bridges; and Railways, stated that the government has taken the issue seriously. He believes further protests are unnecessary at this point.
Speaking after the first meeting of a government-formed committee tasked with evaluating the legitimacy of the demands, Faozul Khan said, “We cannot hastily accept or reject three-point or seven-point demands.
Everything needs to be discussed thoroughly.” He added that the committee will consult three key groups: university authorities and guardians of the students, leaders of the protesting students, and relevant hiring bodies such as PWD, LGED, and PDB.
“We want to approach this with fairness, without any bias,” he said, urging students’ parents to convince them to halt the protests and engage in dialogue.
“The protests have already drawn attention. Now it’s time to let the government do its part. There’s no benefit in continuing agitation at this stage,” he concluded.
The movement remains a significant flashpoint in the ongoing debate over technical qualifications and professional identity in Bangladesh’s engineering sector.