CUET students hold rally for former VC’s return

The movement by teachers, officers, employees and students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) demanding the reinstatement of Professor Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem as vice-chancellor continued on Friday, with students staging a protest rally on the campus.

The rally began around 2:30pm in front of the university’s Teachers-Students Centre, passed through several campus roads and ended at the main gate.

Students chanted slogans demanding the reinstatement of Professor Sayem during the rally.

Students have organised various protest programmes since the movement began, including torch processions, red-card demonstrations, “Why 56?”, “Testimony in White Sarees”, a procession wearing masks depicting the former vice-chancellor, protests with black cloth over their eyes and a “Protest Concert”.

Zulkarnaine Mihad, a fourth-year student of the Department of Mechanical Engineering who joined Friday’s rally, said the movement had reached its 11th day without any action being taken in response to their demand.

“Today marks the 11th day of our movement. No action has yet been taken in response to our demand. Classes and examinations remain suspended. Our movement will continue until our demand is met,” he said.

On September 21, Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) was appointed vice-chancellor of CUET, replacing Professor Sayem.

Students launched the movement on the same day, protesting the change just 56 days after Professor Sayem had assumed office.

They began a “complete shutdown” at the university the following day, September 22.
After 11 days of protests, no resolution has yet been reached over the students’ demand to reinstate Professor Sayem.