Chittagong:Newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam, entered his office on Monday morning by breaking a padlock placed on the office gate amid an ongoing indefinite shutdown enforced by students.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the Vice-Chancellor arrived on the campus around 945 am. His entry into the office was met with anger from protesting students, who reiterated their refusal to accept him as the new VC.
Afif Kabir, a third-year student from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, stated that one of the students' key demands is the reinstatement of former Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Abu Shadat Muhammad Sayem. The students have vowed to continue their 'complete shutdown' program until their demands are addressed, expressing disapproval of the new VC's method of entry.
The protesting students alleged that Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam entered the campus early in the morning, a time when many students were either asleep or had left for home during the Durga Puja holidays. They criticized the incident as disrespectful and declared that they would not welcome the new VC.
Wasif Rashed, president of the CUET unit of Chhatra Dal, noted that his organization's leaders were not present when the VC entered the office. He mentioned that the VC was accompanied by teachers and officials.
Previously, Sheikh Shariful Alam was scheduled to attend a University Grants Commission meeting in Dhaka on October 11 and 12. During his absence, Professor Md Arafat Rahman of the Department of Mechanical Engineering was assigned routine duties as vice-chancellor.
Professor Abu Shadat Muhammad Sayem was removed from his position on September 21 after 56 days in service, and Sheikh Shariful Alam was appointed as his successor. Following Sayem's removal, protesting students locked the administrative building that night and began an indefinite shutdown, boycotting classes and examinations.
Additionally, teachers, officers, and employees have also been participating in a strike and work abstention program, demanding Sayem's reinstatement, which has brought academic and administrative activities at the university to a standstill.