BUET protest erupts over death threats, demand recruitment reform

Students of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) staged a demonstration at Shahbagh intersection late Monday night, protesting death threats made against a fellow student and pressing a three-point demand, including a call for disqualifying candidates without a minimum BSc degree from being appointed to ninth-grade engineering positions.

The protest was triggered by reported threats and an attempted assault on BUET student Rokon by a group of diploma engineers. Students demanded that legal action be taken against those responsible within 12 hours. They also called for the immediate formation of a commission to implement their demands.

“If our demands are not met, we will announce stricter programs in the coming days,” warned the protesting students.

As demonstrators attempted to march towards the residence of the Chief Adviser in Jamuna, they were intercepted by law enforcement officers at the Paribagh intersection.

Earlier, BUET students had announced a boycott of all classes and examinations from August 24 to 26 in support of their demands. The key points include:

Legal action against those who threatened and assaulted Rokon.

A ban on appointing anyone to a ninth-grade engineering post without a minimum BSc degree.

Formation of a commission to implement the demands.

The protest caused significant traffic disruption in the area and drew public attention to longstanding tensions between graduate engineers and diploma engineers over recruitment standards.