CUET Students Cut Power and Lock VC and Chhatra Dal Leaders Inside Building

Campus Correspondent

Agitating students have blocked the new Vice-Chancellor of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Professor Dr. Sheikh Shariful Alam, inside the Vice-Chancellor’s building.

The main gate of the VC building was locked and the electricity supply was also disconnected on Monday afternoon, October 12. This dramatic situation arose amid the ongoing agitation over the appointment of a new VC.

According to university sources, Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam was appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of CUET on September 21, replacing Professor Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem. The teachers and students have been observing a ‘complete shutdown’ and strike since the next day, demanding the cancellation of this appointment and the reinstatement of the former VC.

Due to this constant opposition from teachers and students, the new VC has not been able to enter the campus for so long.

However, this morning, with the help of a section of Chhatra Dal leaders, Dr. Sheikh Shariful Alam arrived on campus in a microbus. After entering the campus simply by introducing himself as a ‘teacher’, he broke the previous lock of the VC building along with Chhatra Dal leaders and entered his office.

As soon as this news spread, the protesting students erupted in anger. They quickly gathered in front of the VC building, started a protest and gave the VC an ultimatum to leave the office by 12 noon.

After the allotted time passed, the students locked the building’s gate again and disconnected the electricity inside.

Mahira Tazreen, a student of the mechanical engineering department who was protesting, said that even though the VC broke the lock they had given him and entered, he was blocked again in the face of intense anger from the students.

Meanwhile, several leaders and activists, including the VC, CUET branch Chhatra Dal president Wasif Rashed, joint general secretary Abu Sufian Al Sabit, and organizing secretary Biplob Hossain, are trapped inside the VC building.

Earlier in the morning, Chhatra Dal leader Biplob Hossain was stopped by protesters while he was going to give flowers and food to the VC and his belongings were thrown away. While trapped inside, Chhatra Dal leaders claimed that the students were protesting illegally against the government’s decision and that they were staying inside with the VC.