Demonstrating students at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet) held a procession wearing black blindfolds over their eyes to protest the lack of effective administrative initiatives regarding their demands.
The protest march was organised on Wednesday around 2:45pm as part of the ninth consecutive day of their ongoing movement demanding the reinstatement of Professor Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem as vice-chancellor.
Starting from the university’s Central Shaheed Minar premises, the procession proceeded along the road adjacent to the medical centre, circled Swadhinata Chattar, and concluded upon returning to the Shaheed Minar premises.
Throughout the march, students chanted slogans including “Why is the administration silent? We demand answers, we demand answers!”, “VC Sir, VC Sir – Sayem Sir, Sayem Sir”, and “We have only one demand, we want Sayem Sir as VC!”.
Ezaz Mahmud Khan, a fourth-year student of Civil Engineering Department who joined the march, said, “We have been continuing a peaceful movement at CUET for almost nine days. But with great sorrow, we see that no response or effective action has been taken by the administration yet. We are protesting the administration’s silence today afternoon by tying black cloth over our eyes.”
The students have been observing a “complete shutdown” programme at Cuet since 22 September, demanding the reinstatement of Professor Sayem.
Therefore, regular academic activities, including classes, examinations, and laboratory work at the university, remain suspended.
On various days of the movement, students have also held human chains, mass signature campaigns, mass sit-ins, red card displays, graffiti art, and several creative programmes.
