Students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet) have announced a one-day all-out academic shutdown for Monday, in protest against assigning the routine duties of the Vice-Chancellor to Professor Quazi Delwar Hossain, dean of the Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
The programme was announced in an emergency statement issued by the students on Sunday.
Earlier, Professor Delwar was given the routine charge as Vice-Chancellor Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam is currently in Dhaka to attend a meeting of University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh.
The assignment of responsibility was communicated through an email message on Sunday.
According to the message, the duty came into effect from the afternoon of 1 November, and Professor Delwar will perform this role until the vice-chancellor returns to the workplace on the evening of 2 November to resume charge.
Protesting against the decision, students mentioned in their release that after a long movement and stalemate, they had returned to classes and examinations considering their future and the academic environment of the university.
However, their clear condition was that they did not accept the newly appointed vice-chancellor under any circumstances and there could be no interference by him in the normal activities of the campus.
The students alleged that ignoring their pre-declared position, an attempt is being made to indirectly establish authority on campus by handing over the vice-chancellor’s routine duties to another person. They unequivocally rejected such an administrative decision.
According to the announced programme, students will boycott all classes, examinations, and any administrative activities conducted on a routine charge basis at the university tomorrow.
The statement added that such measures could destabilise the existing situation on campus once again. The administration concerned must take responsibility for any deterioration of the situation.
The students warned that if there is any violation of their demands and position or if administrative interference continues, they will be forced to announce tougher peaceful programmes.
It is mentioned that regular classes at Cuet resumed on Sunday, after overcoming a 36-day stalemate.
Earlier, on Wednesday, class activities began on an experimental basis in the Urban and Regional Planning department. Initiatives were subsequently taken to launch academic activities in other departments as well.
However, the movement of teachers and students demanding the reinstatement of Vice-Chancellor Professor Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem continues.
At the end of the statement, the students reaffirmed their one-point demand, mentioning that the reinstatement of Professor Sayem is their sole demand.
