CUET students continue third-day shutdown, write open letter to PM

Students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) continued their all-out shutdown for a third consecutive day on Thursday, demanding the reinstatement of Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem.

The protesting students held a human chain on the university’s Central Shaheed Minar premises from 11:45am, demanding the withdrawal of the notification removing Sayem from the post and the appointment of a new vice-chancellor.

Students from different departments took part in the programme, boycotting classes and examinations. They displayed placards bearing slogans including, “Who is the VC? Who is the VC? Who else but Sayem Sir?”, “Let the streets roar, let Sayem Sir return,” and “We have only one demand — we want Sayem Sir as VC.”

Fourth-year student Mostafa Khalid Bin Shams Arian read out an open letter addressed to the prime minister during the human chain.

“We do not want to fall behind any further. We want to see our demands fulfilled and return to our classes, laboratories and examination halls. Our only expectation is that this prolonged uncertainty will come to an end with Professor Dr Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem being reinstated as the Vice-Chancellor of CUET”, the open letter read.

Meanwhile, the mass signature campaign launched on Wednesday continued on Thursday. Students also announced plans to hold a torch procession on the campus at 6:30pm today.

The protests at CUET began after a notification issued by the Ministry of Education on the night of September 21 removed Professor Sayem as CUET VC and appointed Professor Dr Sheikh Shariful Alam of Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) as his replacement.

Students staged a protest on the campus that night against the decision.

The all-out shutdown began on September 22, suspending academic activities, including classes and examinations. The students have said they will continue the movement until Sayem is reinstated as vice-chancellor.