Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology Vice-Chancellor (VC) Sk Shariful Alam, who left the campus with the help of the deputy commissioner and the district superintendent of police after being blockaded in his office for 30 hours, says he has not resigned, nor has he given any guarantees.
Instead, Shariful says he wants to return to his duties “after he is well” and will ensure a fair environment for the education of students at the university.
The VC, who was undergoing treatment at Chittagong Medical College Hospital, spoke to bdnews24.com over WhatsApp on Wednesday afternoon.
Seventeen days after taking up the post, Shariful went to his office on the CUET campus for the first time on Monday morning. Protesting students then took up positions outside the building, demanding the reinstatement of the previous vice chancellor Prof Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem.
Later that day, around 12:30pm, the protesting students locked the building and trapped a total of 12 people, including the VC, inside.
On Tuesday afternoon, Shariful said he was feeling chest pain and sought help from the administration.
Later in the evening, with the help of Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Mian and Chattogram Superintendent of Police Md Masud Alam, he was released.
As the vice-chancellor was leaving the building students announced in the presence of top administration officials on their megaphones: “Our newly appointed VC secretly entered CUET. Today, he is leaving this CUET because of the district administration. But there is one condition - he will never set foot on the grounds of CUET again.”
The vice-chancellor got into his car under police guard while students chanted derogatory slogans. He was admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital under police guard on Tuesday night.
Asked about his physical condition on Wednesday morning, Shariful said: “I am a little better than yesterday. My blood pressure is normal. My headache has eased. I am also feeling less pain in my chest than before. Other tests have been performed. Doctors will come. The treatment will continue according to their advice.”
Asked about his exit from the campus, he said: “I fell ill at one point due to the inhuman suffering we had to endure because we were without electricity since noon on Monday. According to the advice of the government doctor and civil surgeon, I had to seek treatment in the hospital.
“However, I can see that fake news is being spread in the media that I have resigned, that the students allowed me to leave on the condition that I will never set foot on the CUET campus in the future - I have not made any such statement or comment.”
The vice-chancellor said, “You must know that when I was being brought in, I was in no state to talk. I left the campus due to illness. I am still sick and under the close observation of doctors. After recovering, I will resume my duties at the university, In Sha Allah.”
Shariful said it was unfortunate and unwelcome for such “untrue and baseless information” to be published without his statement being taken into consideration.
Asked when he would return to campus, he did not give a direct answer.
He said, “I did not come here for any personal interest, to implement any special agenda, or for any party or special interest. I came to Chattogram to fulfil the responsibility that the state has given me.
“It is important to me to fulfil the responsibilities of the university, to restore a fair environment for education and to keep institutional activities running.”
Stating that he “respects and honours” the protesting students, Shariful said, "I am a former student of this university. I also have a passion for CUET. They have not even seen me work for a day. If there were any allegations of irregularities, failure or corruption against me after six months of duty, then it would have been logical to protest. Perhaps they are being misled by some vested interest group.
"I was the pro vice-chancellor at KUET. There were several investigation committees there. They did not find any negatives. The government handed me the responsibility of CUET because everything was positive. I have been in contact with the higher-ups in the government."
The vice chancellor said that he would hold a press conference after recovering and announce the next action plan for CUET.
On Sept 21, just 56 days after taking charge at CUET, Prof Sayem was removed from the post of vice chancellor. On the same day, a notification was issued appointing Shariful as the new vice chancellor. To protest the decision, students locked the administrative building that night.
The next day, students launched a boycott of classes and exams as they observe a full-scale shutdown programme. In addition, university teachers, officials and employees are observing a work stoppage and sit-in programme for Prof Sayem’s reinstatement.
The situation has led to a stalemate that suspends the university's academic and administrative activities.