Professional Pleas of BSc and Diploma Degree Holders Under Pragmatic Probe
Following the protests by BSc and diploma graduate engineers, the government has taken the matter seriously, said Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan, Adviser in charge of the Ministries of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources; Road Transport and Bridges; and Railways. He stressed that there is no need for fresh protest programs at this stage.
On Thursday, August 28, in the afternoon, the first meeting of the committee formed to review the professional demands of BSc and diploma engineers and make recommendations was held at the Secretariat, chaired by Energy Adviser Faozul Kabir Khan of the Ministry of Public Administration. Speaking to journalists after the meeting, he shared his observations.
The Energy Adviser said, “We will sit with the guardians and employers of those involved in the movement. Suddenly declaring acceptance of three-point, seven-point, or parts thereof cannot be done. That is why decisions are being made through discussion.”
He continued, “As a committee, we will also hold talks with the protesters. We will engage with three groups: those leading the protests, their guardians such as university vice-chancellors and the chairman of the Technical Education Board, and those they listen to. Moreover, at the practical level, we will talk to the agencies that employ engineers—PWD, LGED, PDB. Not only will the working group sit with them, we will also sit with them.”
Asked about an immediate solution since universities have been shut down, the Energy Adviser responded, “As I said, this is the solution. They can now sit with the working group anytime. On one side, there are three demands; on the other, seven demands. First, we have to listen, understand, and know everything. We cannot simply declare that we are accepting the three points or the seven points, or pick two points from here and one point from there. We must listen, know, and understand—only then can we act.”
Faozul Kabir Khan further added, “We want to assure everyone that we are trying to reach a fair solution without bias or favoritism. We urge the parents of BSc and diploma engineer students to explain to them: you have already staged your movement, and the government has taken it seriously. We are examining the matter. There is no benefit in continuing agitation now.”
When asked about the students not fully responding to Wednesday’s appeal, the Adviser for Road Transport, Bridges, and Railways said, “They did listen to our call. They returned to their campuses from Shahbagh. For this, we thank them. We request everyone to ensure that such a situation does not recur, as we are addressing it. We need some time. If one set of demands is accepted, one group will be satisfied; if another set is accepted, another group will be satisfied. We must take this into account and build a bridge so both sides can come together. We want a solution where both parties will benefit.”
