Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet) Vice-chancellor Sheikh Shariful Alam entered the campus 21 days after his appointment.
He entered by breaking the padlock of the administrative building around 8:45am on Monday.
Former Cuet student and Vice-president (VP) Riyasad Hasan Sumon, General Secretary (GS) Shafiqul Islam Khan, former cultural secretary Nasim Hasan, and several leaders of the Cuet unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal were present.
Riyasad told TIMES, “There was no protest on the campus this morning…. We entered the university without any hindrance.”
On 21 September, Professor Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem was removed as the VC of Cuet, and Shariful of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) was appointed to the post.
Since then, students have been staging demonstration demanding cancellation of new VC’s appointment and reinstatement of Professor Sayem. Teachers, officers, and employees have also been observing work abstentions and sit-in programmes over the same demand.
Tensions escalate on campus
Demonstrating students staged a sit-in in front of the VC building. Although several individuals arrived carrying floral bouquets to express solidarity with VC Shariful, a section of the students trampled the flowers underfoot in protest.
Afif Kabir, a third-year student of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, said the students had remained firm on their one-point demand.
He said the campus shutdown would remain in force until Prof Sayem is reinstated.
Sabiha Sabnam, a fourth-year student of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, said, “Wearing a crown does not make one a king, Sir. Holding an office and earning universal acceptance are not the same thing. It remains incomprehensible what message you intended to convey by ignoring the objections and protests of stakeholders and breaking the lock to enter the VC building.”
She added, “From an individual occupying such an important post, we expect a sense of responsibility, restraint and dignified conduct, yet your action has called that very expectation into question. The dignity of a post is established not merely by occupying the seat but through conduct and acceptance. We strongly condemn and denounce your decision.”
On Sunday, teachers, officers, and staff staged a sit-in programme in front of the VC building starting at 11am.
An emergency meeting of the executive committee of the staff association resolved to intensify the previously declared full work abstention and sit-in programmes until Professor Sayem is reinstated.
Over the past 20 days, students have staged various programmes, including protest rallies, torch processions, red-card protests, mask rallies, photography exhibitions, and protest concerts.
In addition, they formed human chains and staged sit-ins in front of the Chattogram Press Club. These disruptions have sparked fears of potential session jams.
Following his appointment, Professor Shariful reportedly assumed office online. Meanwhile, amid the ongoing stalemate, routine responsibilities of the VC were assigned to Professor Arafat Rahman of the Department of Mechanical Engineering for 11 and 12 October.
