VC left campus under police guard on condition of not returning to CUET again

District Commissioner of Chattogram Mohammad Zahidul Islam Mia and Superintendent of Police Md Masud Alam have rescued Vice-Chancellor of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam from the confined condition. He was brought out of the administrative building around 6pm on Tuesday. Later he left the campus by ambulance under police security.

However the protesting students gave a condition before allowing the vice-chancellor to leave the campus. After bringing him down under the administrative building a student announced with a microphone in hand that the vice-chancellor is being allowed to leave the campus on the condition that he will not return to CUET again.

At this time the district commissioner and the superintendent of police were present there. Later the vice-chancellor was put into the ambulance under police security. At this time the students gave the slogan of ‘fake fake’ targeting him.

Earlier the district commissioner Zahidul Islam and the superintendent of police Masud Alam went to the CUET campus at 5:20pm in the afternoon. They talked with the protesting students. At this time the district commissioner and the superintendent of police gave the assurance of informing the demands of the students to the government. They informed that the vice-chancellor is feeling unwell and he will be rescued and taken to the hospital.

Later the students unlocked the lock of the office of the vice-chancellor. After that the persons who were confined inside the building including the vice-chancellor left the campus under police security.

Earlier the vice-chancellor Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam was confined for more than 30 hours. He got stuck in his own office after the students locked the vice-chancellor building after 12pm on Monday. At this time the protesters also disconnected the water and electricity connections of the building.

Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) was appointed as the vice-chancellor of CUET by removing Professor Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem on September 21 last. After that the students have been observing ‘complete shutdown’ and the teachers and officers-employees have been observing work stoppage demanding the reinstatement of Abu Sadat from September 22. Classes and examinations remain closed at the university due to this reason.

The new vice-chancellor was not being able to go to the campus even after assuming the responsibility due to the movement. However he went to his own office by breaking the lock of the vice-chancellor building by taking the leaders of Chhatra Dal on Monday.

Getting the news of the arrival of the new vice-chancellor on the campus the students started gathering in front of his office from 9:30am on Tuesday. At one stage they fixed a time for the vice-chancellor to leave the office. When the fixed time passed the students again locked the gate of the building around 12pm. At the same time the water and electricity connections were disconnected.

Due to this 10 to 11 persons including the vice-chancellor became confined inside the building. Among them there were president of CUET Chhatra Dal Wasif Rashed and several current and former students.