Teachers, officials, and staff members at the Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) have announced that the ongoing work stoppage will continue. They have also declared the initiation of a new 'total non-cooperation movement'.
The decision was made today, Monday, at a joint meeting of the university's Teachers Association, Officials Association, and Staff Association.
After the meeting, at around 3: 15 pm, the three organisations held a press conference to announce the 'total non-cooperation movement'.
Leaders of the three organisations stated that they would observe the 'total non-cooperation movement' due to the situation arising from the entry of the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor onto the campus.
Until their previously announced demands are met, they will continue both the work stoppage and the total non-cooperation movement. They have stated they will not assist the new Vice-Chancellor in performing any administrative duties.
At the press conference, Professor Md Ahsanullah, President of the Teachers Association, articulated the joint decision of the three organisations.
He said, "We vehemently reject the Vice-Chancellor's presence on the campus with the help of outsiders. If an undesired situation arises due to this incident, the Vice-Chancellor must bear full responsibility."
Md Ahsanullah added, “Our CUET family does not accept him as the Vice-Chancellor. Today, terrorists have attacked our students' buses. We are concerned about the attack on our students. We urge the government to resolve this crisis as quickly as possible.”
On 21 September, a directive from the Ministry of Education removed Professor Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem from the position of Vice-Chancellor of CUET and appointed Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) in his place.
From the following day, students have been conducting a complete shutdown programme on the CUET campus, demanding the reinstatement of Professor Sayem. Teachers, officials, and staff members have also been observing a work stoppage since the same day. As a result, no classes or examinations have been held at the university.
Due to the teachers' and students' programmes, the new Vice-Chancellor Sheikh Shariful Alam had not been able to enter the campus until today.
However, this morning, along with Chhatra Dal leaders, he broke the lock to the Vice-Chancellor's office and entered. Sources from the university said that he came to the campus in a microbus, identified himself as a 'teacher' at the gate, and entered. Later, he broke the lock at the entrance of the Vice-Chancellor's building with the Chhatra Dal leaders and entered his office.
In the morning, it was seen that Professor Dr. Sheikh Shariful Alam was sitting in the chair designated for the Vice-Chancellor. CUET unit Chhatra Dal President Wasif Rashed, Joint General Secretary Abu Sufiyan Al Sabit, and Organisational Secretary Biplob Hossain were in his room. When asked, Abu Sufiyan Al Sabit, Joint General Secretary of the Chhatra Dal, told Prothom Alo, “We entered together.”
Upon hearing about the arrival of the new Vice-Chancellor on the campus, protesting students gathered in front of the Vice-Chancellor's building from 9:30 am. They gave him an ultimatum to leave the office by 12 pm. After 12 pm, they hung a lock on the entrance of the building. Protesters also reported that they have disconnected the power supply to the Vice-Chancellor's building.
One of the protesting students, Mahira Tajreen from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, said, “The Vice-Chancellor broke our lock and went inside. We gave him an ultimatum, but he did not listen. So we put the lock back on.”
With the lock on the entrance, Chhatra Dal President Wasif Rashed and several members of their organisation were trapped inside with the Vice-Chancellor. After being locked in, he told Prothom Alo over the phone, “They are protesting against government decisions. This morning, while bringing flowers, one of our leaders was harassed.”
According to sources among the students, shortly after the Vice-Chancellor arrived on the campus, Organisational Secretary of the Chhatra Dal, Biplob Hossain, was bringing flowers and food to his office. Protesting students prevented him from entering the Vice-Chancellor's building. At one point, they took the flowers and food from him and threw them away.