New CUET VC Skips Campus Visit

Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) Vice Chancellor Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam did not visit the campus on Thursday despite preparations for a police protocol escort. His reported arrival triggered tension on campus, with students locking all university gates and maintaining additional security. Teachers, officers and employees also remained on alert.

Sheikh Shariful Alam was scheduled to leave Chattogram Circuit House for CUET at around 8am on Thursday. Several police protocol vehicles were reportedly expected to accompany him. Two police vehicles were seen at the Circuit House in the morning, but the new vice chancellor was not seen leaving with them. It was later learned that he would not travel to the campus.

A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the new vice chancellor was scheduled to go to CUET in the morning but later changed his decision himself. The officer said they did not know why he decided not to go.

Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam, however, denied that he had planned to visit CUET on Thursday. He said that if he went, he would remain there. He added that discussions were continuing with different sides, although he had not yet spoken with the teachers.

He said he had learned that the teachers had held a meeting and that they were repeatedly changing their association resolution. He also said he would enter the campus soon.

Meanwhile, students involved in the ongoing movement increased their vigilance after hearing that the new vice chancellor might arrive. On the 17th day of the protest, they locked the main gate and all other entry points from 8am. Groups of students were deployed to guard the gates, with preparations to prevent the new VC from entering the campus.

Teachers, officers and employees also took position in front of the locked VC building from 11am and observed a full work stoppage. At around noon, they held a discussion at the central auditorium and reaffirmed their position on their demands.

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n a statement issued in the afternoon, the CUET Teachers Association said it would not accept any outsider as the university’s vice chancellor. It demanded that a senior teacher from within CUET be appointed to the position. The teachers also renewed their demand for the reinstatement of Professor Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem. Officers and employees supported the same demand.

Professor Mohammad Ahsan Ullah, president of the CUET Teachers Association, said they held a general meeting on Thursday and all participants agreed on their demands. He said they did not want anyone from outside CUET to be appointed as vice chancellor.

CUET Employees Association President Jamal Uddin said their sole demand was the reinstatement of Professor Sayem as vice chancellor. He also sought the intervention of the prime minister to resolve the issue.

Police officials, however, gave a somewhat different account of the planned visit. Raozan Police Station Officer-in-Charge Saiful Islam said the vice chancellor was scheduled to come to CUET on Thursday. Although such a programme had been planned, he cancelled it on Wednesday night. The overall situation on campus remained calm, he said.

Chattogram District Police Superintendent Md Masud Alam said the new vice chancellor had contacted him to learn about the overall situation at CUET. He said he briefed Sheikh Shariful Alam on the situation while exchanging greetings with him.

//DBTech/CHEH/SME/MSI//