Students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) staged protests on Monday night against the decision to replace the university’s vice-chancellor (VC) Professor Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem just 56 days after his appointment, demanding his reinstatement.

The students gathered at the Swadhinata Chattar area of the university around 10:30pm and brought out a procession. 

Later they locked the VC’s official residence. They also announced a boycott of all academic activities, including classes and examinations, from Tuesday.

During the protest, students chanted slogans including, “We have only one demand—Seeing Sayem sir as VC,” “Whom do we want in the VC’s chair? Again Sayem sir,” and “VC sir, VC sir—Sayem sir, Sayem sir.”

Professor Sayem of CUET’s Department of Mechanical Engineering was appointed VC on July 27. 

On Monday, he was replaced by Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam of the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET).

The announcement drew strong reactions from the students.

Iffaz Tajwar, a third-year student of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering who took part in the protest, said they had finally got a qualified VC after a long time.

“Yet he was removed without any reason. We do not accept, and will not accept, the removal of such a student-friendly teacher. We have only one demand to the government—to reinstate him immediately. Otherwise, the students will announce tougher programmes of protest,” he said.

Students expressed concern that frequent changes of the VC could disrupt administrative continuity at the university.

Professor Md Ahsan Ullah, president of the CUET Teachers’ Association, said that the VC’s appointment was being cancelled abruptly.

“If this continues, the country’s institutions will continue to struggle,” he said.

He said the teachers’ association would hold a meeting and announce its next course of action afterwards.

Teachers and students said Professor Sayem had undertaken several initiatives to address various problems at the university and improve administrative activities after taking charge as VC.

Sayem said he had attended two university meetings on Monday as well.

“I had no idea that such a decision could come today,” he said.