DUET Demands: Defending Dignity, Defining Discipline
Students of Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) staged a sit-in protest at Shib Bari intersection in Joydebpur, Gazipur, pressing home a four-point charter of demands aimed at resolving crises in the engineering sector.
At the forefront of their demands is the enforcement of a rule whereby no individual may use the title “Engineer” before their name without being a registered member of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB).
Their second demand calls for ensuring promotions based on merit, competence, and experience through a rational mechanism. For this purpose, they urged the government to form a review committee involving all stakeholders to frame a fair and universally acceptable policy.
Thirdly, they demanded the creation of more entry-level positions for BSc engineers in the government sector and the establishment of a specific pay scale and job security framework in the private sector through the necessary laws and policies. At the same time, they insisted that the existing recruitment process for sub-assistant engineers be retained.
Finally, they called for the establishment of an independent recruitment authority comprising the five engineering universities — DUET, BUET, CUET, KUET, and RUET — to oversee engineer recruitment. The students stressed that examinations conducted by this body must prioritize technical content as the principal component while incorporating appropriate sections to assess essential non-technical skills, thereby ensuring a just and broadly accepted recruitment process.
On Tuesday, September 2, around 4 p.m., hundreds of students carrying banners and chanting slogans marched from the campus to the sit-in venue under the leadership of third-year students.
Chants such as “If propaganda against DUET continues, DUETians will fight,” “Mockery in administration will not be tolerated,” “Break down the syndicate in the administration,” “Not lobbying, but the streets, the streets,” and “DUET’s four demands must be fulfilled” reverberated throughout the demonstration.
Students from all departments of the university participated in the procession, which lasted for more than half an hour before culminating in the sit-in at Shib Bari intersection.
Earlier, DUET students had staged a torch procession protesting against what they termed persistent derogatory remarks and conspiracies from students of BUET, CUET, KUET, and RUET. In Rangpur, they had also protested the transfer of former DUET student and Executive Engineer Golam Hossain, allegedly instigated through a mob and false accusations at a power distribution company.
