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The student movement at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) seeking the reinstatement of former Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem entered its ninth day on Wednesday.
As no visible effective initiative has been taken by the university administration to address their demands despite continuous programmes, the protesters announced a symbolic march at 1:30pm on Wednesday with black cloths tied over their eyes.
The students also alleged that they were being threatened and intimidated through various channels during the movement. They called for their demands to be considered and for the safety of protesting students to be ensured.
On Tuesday, students brought out a procession from the Central Shaheed Minar premises, carrying their identity cards and masks bearing the photograph of former Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem. The procession went around Swadhinata Chattar before ending at the Shaheed Minar premises amid various slogans.
The students said they displayed their identity cards to protest attempts to portray their movement as a political or outsider-backed programme. They later held a press conference at the Shaheed Minar premises.
At the press conference, Kazi Nabila Raisa, a student of the 2021-22 academic session, read out a written message addressed to the prime minister. She claimed that most CUET students were participating in the movement over legitimate demands and called for their safety to be ensured and their demands to be considered.
Shahriar Hisham, a student of the 2022-23 academic session, said students had been holding peaceful programmes demanding the former vice-chancellor’s reinstatement. These included a sit-in at the main gate, mass signature campaign, submission of a memorandum, torch procession, graffiti and mask procession.
“We do not want any conflict or violence. We want to achieve our demands through peaceful protests,” he said, adding that stricter programmes would be announced if the administration failed to respond effectively.
Earlier on Monday night, protesters brought out a procession protesting alleged threats and intimidation. Asadullah Hil Galib, a fourth-year student of the PME department, alleged that protesters were being threatened in various ways, including concerns over the safety of their family members. He said such threats would not deter the movement.
Meanwhile, the CUET Teachers’ Association condemned what it described as the circulation of edited audio clips from an internal meeting aimed at creating confusion. In a statement, the association said portions of an around eight-and-a-half-hour emergency meeting held on September 26 were being circulated in a deliberate manner. It said presenting isolated remarks as the overall position of the association was inappropriate and undesirable.
Newly appointed Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Sheikh Shariful Alam said ensuring the safety of general students, restoring a normal campus environment and resuming academic activities were his top priorities. He said efforts had begun to rebuild mutual trust through direct discussions with teachers, students, officers and employees.
He said the administration was committed to ensuring that students’ academic lives were not disrupted for even another day. He also said he would soon be physically present on campus to conduct official activities.
The protesters said they would hold the symbolic march at 1:30pm Wednesday with black cloths covering their eyes to protest the administration’s silence.
The movement began on September 21 over the change in CUET’s vice-chancellor. Prof Dr Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem assumed office as vice-chancellor on July 27. He was relieved of his duties on September 21, and Prof Dr Sheikh Shariful Alam was appointed as the new vice-chancellor.
The students’ movement continues with demands for the reinstatement of the former vice-chancellor, safety for protesting students and the restoration of normal academic activities at CUET.