CUET VC leaves campus after nearly 30 hours of confinement

Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) Vice-Chancellor Professor Sheikh Shariful Islam left the campus on Tuesday evening after being confined by protesting students for nearly 30 hours.

Feeling unwell since morning, the VC sought the administration’s assistance to leave the campus and receive medical treatment.

Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Mia and Police Superintendent Md Masud Alam arrived on campus in the afternoon to facilitate his departure. 

The VC and the Chhatra Dal members who had been staying with him inside Administrative Building-2 left the campus in the evening in the presence of the two officials.

“A respected teacher has sought security from us and requested medical treatment. We have come to take him away. He will be admitted to a hospital,” Zahidul said.

As the VC was escorted out, protesting students questioned the administration’s role and asked why it had not taken similar steps to ensure their security.

Ahnaf Shahriar Arnab, a fourth-year student of CUET’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, said, “The highest-ranking administrative officials in Chattogram are present here. We want to know when you will be here to ensure our security. Have you come only to take away the VC who entered the campus with expelled troublemakers? Are we, the students, not like your own children?”

The protesters had issued an ultimatum for the VC to resign after he entered the campus on Monday morning by breaking the lock on the gate of the administrative building.

When he failed to leave within the deadline, protesters locked the main gate of the administrative building around 12:30pm.

On 21 September, Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) was appointed vice-chancellor of CUET.

Earlier, students launched a movement protesting the removal of Professor Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem and demanding his reinstatement.

Since 22 September, they have been observing a complete shutdown. Teachers, officers and employees of the university have also been observing work abstentions in support of the same demand.