Teachers, officers and employees of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet) received their September salaries and festival allowances on Wednesday after staging a sit-in on the campus on Wednesday morning.
The payments began reaching their bank accounts after 12:30pm, bringing an end to the salary dispute.
Assistant Professor Samiun Basir, joint secretary of the Cuet Teachers’ Association, confirmed the development.
“We have received our salaries,” he said.
Members of the Cuet Employees’ Association staged a sit-in outside the Sonali Bank branch on the university campus from around 11am, demanding the immediate payment of their salaries and allowances.
The payment process started after the employees held discussions with senior bank officials and the bank authorities issued the necessary instructions.
The money began to be credited to the accounts of the university’s teachers, officers and employees after 12:30pm.
A CUET official said the university has 367 teachers, 208 officers and 512 employees, totaling 1,087 staff members.
The dispute over the September salary payments emerged after newly appointed Cuet Vice-Chancellor Prof Sheikh Shariful Alam instructed the Sonali Bank Cuet branch not to disburse the salaries and allowances for the month.
The instruction was reportedly issued following allegations that the university Vice-Controller’s Office had sent the salary sheet and cheque to the bank without the VC’s approval.
As the salaries had not been credited to the accounts of teachers, officers and employees by Tuesday, concern grew among the university staff.
The payments were eventually processed after the employees staged a sit-in outside the bank.
The employees withdrew their sit-in after receiving their salaries and allowances.
However, teachers, officers and employees said they would continue their movement demanding the reinstatement of former Vice-Chancellor Professor Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem.
Meanwhile, Cuet students have been staging demonstrations since 21 September with the same demand. Teachers have also been observing a work abstention in support of the demand.
The ongoing protests and work abstention have brought academic activities at the university, including classes and examinations, to a halt.
