VC still unable to enter DUET campus, ‘complete shutdown’ declared

Even after five days of the appointment notification, the newly appointed vice-chancellor of Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) Professor Mohammad Iqbal has still not been able to enter the campus due to the ongoing movement.

Last Thursday, the government issued a notification appointing Professor Mohammad Iqbal of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) as the new Vice-Chancellor of DUET.

Meanwhile, DUET students have continued their agitation demanding the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor from their own campus. The protesters declared a ‘complete shutdown’ of the university located in Gazipur until their demands are met.

On Tuesday, Hasanur Rahman, a fourth-year student of the Department of Civil Engineering, said on behalf of the protesters, “We are declaring a complete shutdown until our three-point demands are met.”

The protesting students held a blockade programme on Monday, demanding the same issues. Students held meetings and sit-in programmes on the campus since Tuesday morning, which continued until noon. During this time, students from various departments participated and raised slogans demanding the appointment of a vice-chancellor from an internal teacher.

After noon, when news spread that the newly appointed vice-chancellor was coming to the campus, the protesters gathered at the main gate of the university. At that time, they started raising various slogans including ‘Our demand is only one, we want a VC from DUET’, ‘and we will not accept an external VC’.

DUET Registrar Professor Abu Tayyub said that the process of appointing a new vice-chancellor has been completed. 

Regarding the emerging situation, he said, “We are contacting the students in phases. We are trying to convince them. This crisis will be resolved soon.”

Earlier, DUET turned into a battlefield in a three-way clash last Sunday. More than 18 students were injured in the incident, of which at least 12 were seriously injured and admitted to hospital. At the same time, the protesters locked the main gate of the university. This has led to a standstill in the overall activities of the university.

Meanwhile, the police have filed a case against 200 to 250 unidentified people in connection with the clash.