After a 36-day academic shutdown over demands for the reinstatement of the vice-chancellor, classes resumed at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet) on Wednesday.
However, classes did not resume simultaneously across all departments. The Department of Urban and Regional Planning (URP) resumed classes for students of all academic years, while several other departments are preparing to restart classes.
Regular academic activities in most departments are expected to resume fully from Sunday (1 November).
Professor Fawzia Gulshana Rashid, head of the URP department, confirmed the development.
Meanwhile, the schedules for other departments depend on decisions taken by the respective departments. Several departments are also discussing schedules for examinations that were postponed, alongside plans to resume classes, she said.
A series of consultation meetings has begun on the campus between a six-member advisory committee of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the university’s teachers, students, officers and employees to resolve the ongoing crisis.
The committee, led by UGC member Professor Abdullah-Al-Mamun, is listening to the views and proposals of the relevant stakeholders. It was formed to prepare recommendations aimed at restoring normal academic activities and resolving the crisis at the university.
On 21 September, the Ministry of Education issued an order removing Cuet VC Abu Sayed Muhammad Sayeem and appointing Sheikh Shariful Alam of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) as his replacement.
In protest against the decision, students launched a complete shutdown on 22 September. Teachers, officers and employees later joined the protest through work stoppages and non-cooperation programmes. As a result, classes, examinations and practical sessions at the university were disrupted for an extended period.
Considering the impact the prolonged shutdown was having on students’ academic lives, the Teachers’ Association decided at a meeting on Sunday to resume academic activities, while students announced the same decision in a separate statement.
However, despite returning to classes, students have announced that they will continue their movement demanding the reinstatement of former VC Sayeem. Their non-cooperation programme against the newly appointed VC also remains in place.
As consultation meetings with the UGC advisory committee continue and departments take steps to resume classes, teachers, students and other stakeholders are watching closely to see how quickly Cuet’s academic activities can return to normal.
