‘This Is Our Only Demand’

Students at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) continued their complete shutdown on Wednesday, September 23, demanding the cancellation of the decision to replace Professor Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem and his reinstatement as Vice-Chancellor. On the second day of the movement, students held a press conference in front of the university’s main gate, where they said reinstating Professor Sayem was their only demand.

The students said their demand was not based solely on Professor Sayem’s 56 days in office. They said the communication and trust he developed with students, initiatives he undertook and plans for the future were central to their movement.

CUET students Arindam De, Mahtab Haque, Sakib Hasan and Mahira Tajri, all from the 2021–22 academic session, read out the written statement at the press conference.

Mahira Tajri said, “Very soon after taking office, he established himself as an accessible administrator for students. He listened to students’ problems, spoke to them directly and showed sincerity and willingness to examine issues seriously and seek ways to resolve them when they were brought to his attention. His direct involvement with students’ needs, facilities and future created a strong relationship of trust with ordinary students within a short period.”

Sakib Hasan highlighted various ways Professor Sayem had supported students in higher education and research during his teaching career. He said, “Professor Sayem started teaching at CUET in 2005. Over this long period, he helped students pursue higher education, research and international careers. Through his efforts, CUET students obtained opportunities for higher education in countries including Norway, Australia and South Korea. Even after becoming Vice-Chancellor, students remained at the centre of his plans.”

He further said, “He put forward various plans, including launching an International Collaboration Office, increasing research and faculty-student exchanges with foreign universities, expanding international scholarship opportunities, establishing a modern research hub and smart classrooms, and creating links with industries for research, internships and employment.”

Sakib also highlighted several initiatives that he said had begun during Professor Sayem’s tenure. “For the first time in CUET’s history, an initiative to organize a club fest was implemented. At the same time, efforts were underway to establish a ‘Defense Analysis and Wing.’ There were also efforts to connect more students with opportunities for higher education and scholarships abroad and create international employment opportunities in the future,” he said.

Mahtab Haque explained how students viewed Sayem’s 56-day tenure. Raising the question, “Then why are the 56 days so important?” he said, “Fifty-six days are not enough to evaluate a Vice-Chancellor’s full tenure. But 56 days are not entirely insufficient to understand whether an administrator will listen to students, stand beside them during a crisis, try to resolve problems when they are reported, and use their network and experience to create opportunities for students. We saw a real reflection of that mindset within this short period.”

Mahtab Haque said, “Our movement is not simply about a Vice-Chancellor who served for 56 days. We want continuity in the work of a teacher and administrator with whom students have developed a visible relationship of trust. We cannot accept that this trust and ongoing initiatives should come to a halt because of a sudden and unexplained change. We saw Professor Sayem’s way of working within 56 days, and we want him as Vice-Chancellor.”

He added, “We are not making any negative judgment about the personal or academic qualifications of the newly appointed person. We are seeking Professor Sayem’s reinstatement based on his visible work, the trust he developed with students and the continuity of ongoing initiatives.”

Arindam De referred to the September 21 notification from the Ministry of Education appointing Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam as CUET Vice-Chancellor and replacing Professor Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem. He said the decision to replace Sayem came only 56 days after he assumed office, while no reason for the decision was mentioned in the notification.

Arindam De said, “Our objection is not personal to the new Vice-Chancellor; it is against the decision to replace Professor Sayem without any visible explanation.”

He said, “In protest against the decision, students spontaneously held a protest procession on the night of September 21 and locked the Vice-Chancellor’s building. At an emergency meeting, it was unanimously decided that the movement would continue until Professor Sayem was reinstated. As a continuation of this, a complete shutdown and mass sit-in programme has been underway since September 22.”

Arindam De further said, “Even today, on a public holiday, students are participating in a mass sit-in at the university’s main gate. Alongside keeping the shutdown in effect by locking the main gate, the mass signature campaign is also continuing.”

The students also urged others not to associate their movement with political identities or party conflicts. Arindam De said, “Some news reports, headlines and personal statements appear to be attempting to present the CUET students’ movement within a framework of speculative political identities and party conflicts. We reject such generalizations and speculative political interpretations.”

The students said their programmes would continue until Professor Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem was reinstated. They demanded that the recently issued notification appointing a new Vice-Chancellor be cancelled and Sayem be reinstated as CUET Vice-Chancellor. They announced that the shutdown, mass sit-in, signature campaign and protest programmes would continue until their demand is met.
//DBTech/FKCT/AHC/MIST//