DUET Students Present 24-Point Demands to VC

Fourth-year students at Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) have submitted a 24-point demand to Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Zainal Abedin, including the termination of staff recruited under allegedly unauthorized appointments and the renaming of the university's second campus to “Bijoy 24.”

The meeting, held Wednesday at the Shaheed Ahsanullah Master Auditorium, was attended by DUET’s Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. Arefin Kauser, Director of Student Welfare Dr. Utpal Kumar Das, and other faculty members.

In addition to submitting a written list of demands, students raised issues regarding departmental resources, increased laboratory facilities, essential equipment procurement, and course-related concerns. Key demands included:

1. Cancel all appointments made under unauthorized syndicate approvals and ensure accountability for faculty involved in these appointments.
2. Conclude the ongoing disciplinary actions against those who obstructed student movements against inequality.
3. Guarantee quality food in all residential halls.
4. Complete the 3.5-year program within the designated period.
5. Rename the second campus from "Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman" to "Bijoy 24."
6. Improve food quality, pricing, and hygiene at the Shahid Mustafa Cafeteria.
7. Expand the campus by including additional land from nearby upazila properties.
8. Establish a mosque and initiate expansion plans at the second campus.
9. Clean and repurpose areas for a swimming pool and volleyball court near Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Hall.
10. Resolve any complications preventing students from applying to the military.
11. Increase funding and support for research initiatives.
12. Create central and hall-based cycle garages.
13. Strengthen student security across campus.
14. Replace the "Bangabandhu Corner" in the library with a collection of international journals and literary works.
15. Ensure the pathway from the central mosque to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Hall is fully developed.
16. Reduce hall-related fees and waive physical education charges.
17. Enforce a smoke- and drug-free environment across campus.
18. Assign hall accommodations to all undergraduate students before allocating them to MSc students.
19. Enhance DUET Medical Center’s facilities, including dengue tests and improved care, and establish accountability for medical staff.
20. Add an ambulance, as the single existing one is insufficient during emergencies.
21. Maintain ongoing dengue prevention measures.
22. Display each hall's income and expenditure on notice boards monthly.
23. Update the library’s website with books organized by department and modernize library facilities.
24. Establish a shopping mall offering essential groceries, stationery, coffee shops, and other daily amenities.

In response, the Vice Chancellor, Pro-Vice Chancellor, and Director of Student Welfare provided explanations and assured students that the demands would be addressed through short-, medium-, and long-term plans.