Students at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) have continued their complete shutdown for a second day, demanding the reinstatement of Vice‑Chancellor Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem.
Classes, exams, and all academic activities are suspended, disrupting the normal operations of CUET’s five faculties and 18 departments, which serve about 6,367 students and 361 teachers.
On 21 September, Prof Sayem was removed from the post of VC and replaced by KUET Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam. Just 56 days into Sayem’s tenure, students staged a protest march on Monday night against the decision.
After the march, they locked the vice chancellor’s office and announced the suspension of academic and administrative activities.
The following morning, students locked the main gate, enforcing a complete shutdown.
Around 11:20am, they launched a “mass signature campaign” at the university’s Shaheed Minar premises. Students lined up to provide their ID numbers and signatures, saying the collected list would later be submitted to the authorities.
Farhan Hasnat Adib, a third‑year Mechanical Engineering student who joined the campaign, said, “On Monday, without any prior notice, our teacher Abu Sadat Sayem Sir was removed from the post of VC. In protest, we held a demonstration that night. On Tuesday, we enforced a complete shutdown. Today, on the second day of our protest, we are conducting the mass signature campaign, which we will send to the authorities.”
“Our peaceful protest will continue until our demand is met,” he also said.
