Sylhet Engineering College (SEC) has remained closed for more than 24 hours as students continue their protest demanding that the institution be brought under Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST).
The students began their protest around 11am on Sunday by blocking the main gate of the administrative building. The blockade was still continuing until 4pm on Monday.
The protest has left the college principal, 14 teachers and six to seven officials and employees confined inside the administrative building for more than 24 hours.
Principal Md Asaduzzaman said the students were demanding that the college be removed from the Directorate of Technical Education and placed under SUST.
“Due to the students’ movement, around 20 teachers, officials and employees have been confined inside the administrative building for more than 24 hours,” he said, adding that the matter had been reported to the Education Ministry.
During a visit to the campus on Monday afternoon, students were seen demonstrating in front of the main gate and chanting slogans. As the gate remained blocked, the principal, teachers and other staff inside the building could not leave.
The protesters said all academic and administrative activities would remain suspended until their demand was met.
Established in 2007, Sylhet Engineering College has three departments — Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Computer Science and Engineering. Around 1,000 students are currently enrolled in five batches.
Students said most of their peers were participating in the movement. They alleged that operating under the Directorate of Technical Education had raised concerns over the distinctiveness and professional recognition of their BSc engineering degrees.
Although they had raised the issue for a long time, no effective solution had been reached, they said, adding that delays in administrative decisions had created uncertainty over their academic futures.
The protesters said they did not want the college to remain under the Directorate of Technical Education and demanded affiliation with a suitable university to ensure recognition and distinction of their engineering degrees.
They specifically demanded that SEC be brought under SUST.
The students announced that classes, examinations, practical examinations, library services and administrative activities would remain suspended until the Education Ministry issues an official notification on the matter.
Meanwhile, the Technical and Madrasa Education Division of the Education Ministry on Sunday issued a notification transferring Associate Professor Md Asaduzzaman, who was serving as acting principal of SEC, to Faridpur Engineering College.
Under the same order, Associate Professor Md Sahid Iqbal of Mymensingh Engineering College was given additional responsibility as principal of SEC. Both officials were asked to join their new workplaces by Monday.
The protesting students, however, rejected the transfer order.
Fahad, a fourth-year student of the Civil Engineering Department, said students would not allow the incumbent principal to leave the campus until their main demand was fulfilled.
He also said students would not allow the newly appointed principal to enter the campus.
Fahad said all activities at the college would remain suspended until their demand was met.
Around 12:30pm on Monday, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Education and ICT) Saida Parvin visited the campus and held talks with the students. The students told her that they would continue their movement until their demand was fulfilled.
They said the authorities could not bypass their main demand through a change of principal or other administrative decisions and demanded a clear decision from the Education Ministry.
