BUET Students Boycott, Blockade and Blame over Threats

Students of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) have been boycotting classes and examinations since August 24 in pursuit of their three-point demand. On August 25, Monday midnight, they staged a demonstration at Shahbagh intersection. The protest, which continued until 2:00 am on Tuesday, August 26, was carried out against the “attack and death threats” by diploma engineers.

Around 1:45 am, the Shahbagh metro rail area resounded with slogans such as, “Lagechhe re lagechhe, rakte agun lagechhe” (It has sparked, fire has ignited in the blood), “Rokter bonnay veshe jabe onyay” (Injustice will be swept away by the flood of blood), and “Medha na quota, medha, medha” (Not quota, but merit, merit).

The procession, organized in protest of threats against BUET alumnus and engineer Roknuzzaman Rokon at the NESCO office by diploma officials, began at the BUET campus. Passing in front of Dhaka University, it reached Shahbagh intersection at around 1:00 am. From Shahbagh, the procession advanced toward the Chief Adviser’s residence, Jamuna, via the Intercontinental Hotel, but was stopped at Sakura intersection by a police barricade.

Later, a brief rally was held under the metro rail near BIRDEM Hospital. From there, the agitated students demanded the arrest of the accused within 12 hours for issuing death threats against a BUET student. They also pressed for the formation of an Engineering Sector Reform Commission within 12 hours to implement their three-point demand.

According to reports, after students of Begum Rokeya University (BRUR) submitted a memorandum on reforming the engineering sector on August 25, NESCO Executive Engineer Golam Hossain summoned Roknuzzaman Rokon to his office. Assistant Engineers Majedul and Sarwar Zaman Saidi, Sub-Assistant Engineers Liaqat, Saddam, and Golam Kibria Sohan were present at the time. Together, they hurled abuses at Rokon and issued death threats.

BUET students have since expressed anger and urged immediate legal action against the perpetrators.

They claimed that Rokon, a student of EEE Batch 17, was threatened with being held hostage and slaughtered. They further noted, “An attack on the freedom of engineers is not merely a personal assault but also a strike against the collective security and dignity of engineers.”