CUET VC enters office by 'breaking padlock' amid student shutdown

Amid an ongoing indefinite “complete shutdown” by protesting students, newly appointed Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) Vice-Chancellor Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam entered his office this morning after "breaking the padlock" on the office gate.

Prof Shariful reached the campus at around 9:00am.

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According to university sources, the VC identified himself as a “teacher” at the main entrance to gain entry. He then went to the vice-chancellor’s office and broke the padlock placed on the gate by protesting students.

He was seen accompanied by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) leaders, the sources said.

Ahnaf Shahriar Arnob, a fourth-year student in the Mechanical Engineering department and one of the student coordinators, confirmed the incident.

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“The newly appointed VC entered the campus through the main gate in the morning by introducing himself as a teacher. He then broke the lock to enter the VC office,” Arnob said.

Asked about their next course of action, Arnob said, “We are currently preparing to go to the VC's office. We will request him to step down honourably. We will continue our peaceful protests.”

Calls to Professor Samiun Basir, assistant general secretary of the CUET Teachers’ Association, went unanswered.

Contacted, Wasif Rashed, president of JCD CUET unit, said they did not accompany the vice-chancellor when he entered his office.

“VC sir went to his office with the teachers and officials,” he said, adding, “We went to his office to greet him after hearing that he had arrived at the office.”

The latest tension stems from the appointment of Shariful Alam, previously a faculty member in the Electrical and Electronic Engineering department at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET). He was appointed CUET VC on September 21, replacing Professor Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem.

Protesting the removal of Prof Sayem and demanding his reinstatement, students launched a “complete shutdown” the following day. Teachers, officers and employees also joined the movement by observing a work stoppage from the same day.

As a result, academic activities, including classes and examinations, have remained suspended at CUET for the past 20 days.