CUET at a standstill: Why students want their former VC back

Closed classrooms, silent corridors and none of the familiar sight of students walking with bags on their shoulders. Instead of conducting regular classes, teachers have gathered in front of the locked vice-chancellor’s office.

This is how Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) looks amid an all-out shutdown demanding the reinstatement of former Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem.

With the usual bustle gone, academic activities have come to a standstill, while examinations in six departments, including Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Petroleum and Mining Engineering, have already been postponed.

The unrest began after Professor Sayem was removed as vice-chancellor without any reason being cited, just 56 days after his appointment. He was replaced by Professor Dr Sheikh Shariful Alam of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) on September 21.

The announcement triggered a backlash among students, who subsequently announced a complete shutdown of the campus.

For more than 10 days, students have prevented the new VC from physically taking charge of the office, forcing him to perform his duties online while remaining off campus.

Regarding his joining, former university Registrar Sheikh Muhammad Humayun Kabir said, “According to the rules, a vice-chancellor has to join after arriving at the workplace. In addition, under the terms of his appointment, he has to stay on campus full-time.”

Professor Shariful did not respond to repeated phone calls from Daily Waadaa.

Meanwhile, students have held several programmes, including a mass signature campaign, an open letter to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and a torch procession.

On the day the new VC joined office, students rejected his joining through a “red card” programme.

Students say the government has so far shown no interest in addressing their demands and has made no contact with them.

“It is extremely disappointing that we have yet to receive any response from the administration or see any effective action,” said Ijaz Mahmud Khan, a fourth-year student of the Department of Civil Engineering.

Why the unrest?

After his removal was announced, Professor Sayem told the media that the government notification did not cite any reason and that he had not been informed of the decision beforehand.

Students say that since joining CUET as a teacher in 2005, Professor Sayem has helped students pursue higher education, research and international careers. They say his efforts helped CUET students secure opportunities for higher education in countries including Norway, Australia and South Korea.

He also took initiatives to connect more students with overseas higher education and scholarship opportunities and to create pathways for international employment, they said.

“Even after taking charge as vice-chancellor, students remained at the centre of his plans. Whenever students approached Sayem Sir with any demand, he would listen and take initiatives to address it,” said Sajid Mahmud, a third-year student of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

“The students’ affection for him and their movement demanding his reinstatement as vice-chancellor are solely rooted in his student-friendly approach,” he added.

The new VC, Professor Shariful, is a former CUET student who later joined KUET as a teacher.

He was appointed pro-vice-chancellor of KUET on December 4, 2024, during the interim government’s tenure, but was relieved of the post on April 25, 2025, amid protests.

The move came after clashes at KUET on February 18 left more than 100 students injured amid demands to ban student politics. Protests and a campus stalemate followed, while calls for the vice-chancellor’s resignation intensified after 37 students were expelled.

Against this backdrop, the Education Ministry removed KUET Vice-Chancellor Professor Muhammad Masud and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam in April.

Who is behind the removal of the VC? JCD leaders’ BCL links

Students have pointed to the ruling party’s student wing, Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), as being behind Professor Sayem’s removal.

CUET Chhatra Dal President Wasif Rashed denied the allegation, saying the protests over a government decision were unreasonable.

“A student can never decide who the vice-chancellor will be. Bringing up the issue of changing the vice-chancellor is essentially an attempt to put the current government in an awkward position. I believe former Chhatra League and Chhatra Shibir-affiliated people are involved in this movement,” he told Waadaa.

However, conversations with students and an inquiry by Waadaa found that four of the nine members of the current CUET Chhatra Dal committee had previously been associated with Chhatra League.

They are CUET Chhatra Dal General Secretary Taufiq Hasan Chowdhury, Organising Secretary Biplob Hasan Tanmoy, Joint General Secretary Shakhawat Hossain Sajal and Abu Sufian Al Sabit.

Photographs circulated on social media appear to show CUET Chhatra Dal General Secretary Taufiq Hossain participating in Chhatra League activities. In one photograph, he is seen welcoming former Chhatra League president Al Nahian Khan Joy with flowers on behalf of CUET Chhatra League.

Another photograph, taken at a meeting between CUET Chhatra League leaders and Fazle Karim Chowdhury, the Awami League lawmaker from the Chattogram-6 (Raozan) constituency, also shows Taufiq present.

A Facebook post circulated by CUET Chhatra League Organising Secretary Azharul Islam Munna shows Biplob, Sajal and Sabit placing flowers at the Shaheed Minar under the Chhatra League banner on International Mother Language Day on February 21, 2024.

A video posted on January 4, 2023, by a page named “Bangladesh Chhatra League, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology” shows current CUET Chhatra Dal Joint General Secretary Sajal and Sabit participating in a procession and cake-cutting programme marking Chhatra League’s founding anniversary.

In the comments section of the same post, Biplob and Sajal wrote, “Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu.”

On November 9, 2023, Biplob was also seen commenting on a video posted by CUET Chhatra League leader Azharul Islam Munna showing a procession chanting the slogan, “BNP-Jamaat razakars, leave Bengal now.”

There have also been allegations of close ties between CUET Chhatra Dal President Wasif Rashed and CUET Chhatra League leaders. In recently circulated photographs, he was seen with Chhatra League leaders who had burned an effigy of Tarique Rahman at CUET. The photographs drew criticism on social media.

Students have expressed concern that former Chhatra League members now associated with CUET Chhatra Dal are attempting to destabilise the campus by pushing for the removal of the VC.

What do the teachers and officers say?

The CUET Teachers’ Association has also taken a position on the issue, issuing a statement demanding Professor Sayem’s reinstatement.

They urged the government to revoke the order removing him and reinstate him as vice-chancellor.

Professor Md Ahsan Ullah, president of the CUET Teachers’ Association, told the media that the VC’s appointment had been cancelled abruptly.

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

Associate Professor Syed Masrur Ahmad of the Department of Mechanical Engineering said the issue concerned the university’s identity and autonomy.

“This is not about the personal demands and needs of the teachers. We are under mental pressure because of the stalemate, while the students are falling behind. Despite our willingness, we are unable to continue academic activities,” he said.

Engineer Md Ikram, President of the Officers’ Association, said protests at other universities are often held demanding the removal of vice-chancellors, whereas CUET is witnessing a movement demanding the reinstatement of one.

“This itself shows that Professor Abu Sayem did not have any of the reasons that usually lead to movements demanding a vice-chancellor’s removal,” he told Waadaa.

Besides CUET teachers and students, 13 professors from 12 universities across countries including the UK, New Zealand, Australia and Norway have written letters calling for Professor Dr Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem’s reinstatement as vice-chancellor.