Published : 21 Oct 2026, 09:49 AM
Updated : 21 Oct 2026, 09:49 AM
A movement demanding the reinstatement of Prof Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem as vice-chancellor has been going on for nearly a month at the Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), after he was replaced just 56 days into the job.
Academic activities on the campus have virtually ground to a halt amid the protests by a section of teachers, students, officers and employees.
The protesters have continued shutdowns and other programmes while newly appointed Vice-Chancellor Sheikh Shariful Alam, unable to enter the campus without resistance, has been carrying out official duties online.
The situation has persisted since Sept 21, but the government has so far remained largely silent on the situation. There has been no formal statement on the matter from the education minister, the education ministry or the prime minister's education advisor.
Most recently, the University Grants Commission, or UGC, formed a six-member advisory committee on Monday, Oct 19, to recommend ways to resolve the impasse. The commission formed the committee after receiving a letter from the education ministry on Sunday.
Why Do Protesters Want a VC Who Served Only 56 Days?
Sayem, a professor in CUET's Department of Mechanical Engineering, was appointed vice-chancellor on Jul 27 this year.
Just 56 days after he took office, Sayem was removed and a new vice-chancellor was appointed.
On Sept 21, Shariful, a professor in the Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, or KUET, was appointed to the post.
A group of students began protesting on campus that night after learning of the decision. The students launched an indefinite shutdown the following morning.
Asked why they were protesting to bring back someone who had served as vice-chancellor for only 56 days, one student involved in the movement told bdnews24.com: “Long before becoming VC, ever since he began teaching at CUET in 2005, Prof Sayem helped students pursue higher education, research and international career opportunities.
“Within a very short period after taking charge as VC, he established himself among students as an administrator who listened to all our problems and took prompt steps to resolve them.”
The student also claimed that Sayem had launched a number of initiatives aimed at helping CUET students gain access to world-class education, research, scholarships and employment opportunities.
Another protesting student said: “Sayem sir was also working to connect students with opportunities for higher education and scholarships abroad and to create pathways to international jobs.
“To us, these were not merely promises. Considering his previous work, we saw them as promising initiatives that had a real prospect of being implemented.”
Prof Md Moinul Islam, the university's controller of examinations, offered a similar assessment.
He told bdnews24.com: “The way he started working and the initiatives he took within such a short period made both students and teachers believe that CUET could achieve its goals under his leadership.
“He has the connections needed to create the kind of collaboration that can help our students pursue higher education abroad as well as enter the job market after graduation.”
Why Was Sayem Removed?
Teachers launched an indefinite work abstention on Sept 27 in support of the demand to reinstate Sayem as vice-chancellor. The programme, adopted at a general meeting of the CUET Teachers' Association, is still ongoing.
Although the movement began with students, there has so far been no report of the administration or any level of the government meeting with protesters.
Some protesters believe tensions involving political leaders may have played a role in Sayem's removal.
Some point to two press releases published in the “Academic News” section of CUET's website as grounds for such speculation.
One, dated Aug 25, concerned a meeting between then vice-chancellor Sayem and State Minister for Land and Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin.
According to the release, Sayem met the state minister at his office in Dhaka that day.
The statement said: “The vice-chancellor briefed the honourable state minister on the overall situation at CUET. At the same time, he sought the state minister's cooperation in CUET's development. The state minister wished CUET further development and prosperity and assured him of all-out cooperation.”
Another press release followed on Aug 30 ahead of CUET's 24th University Day.
It said Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury would attend the Sept 1 programme as chief guest.
The finance minister attended the event on Sept 1. Twenty-one days later, Sayem lost his post while he was in Dhaka.
Teachers and students involved in the movement declined to comment when asked why they thought Sayem had been removed.
Asked whether he was taking any initiative to resolve the situation at CUET, State Minister Helal told bdnews24.com: “Resolving this is a matter for the education ministry or the local administration. It is also not clear why there is a movement at CUET. VCs have been changed there before, but there was no such situation then.”
Asked whether any side had contacted him about resolving the CUET crisis, Helal said: “The education ministry will take the initiative on this. No one has contacted me. It is not my responsibility either. I am not the authority responsible for this.”
Session Delays Feared
Even as they continue the movement, students are worried that they are falling behind academically. With classes and examinations suspended, the term may not end on schedule, raising the prospect of session delays.
A female student involved in the protests said: “Almost all CUET students are protesting with one demand close to our hearts. At universities across the country, movements usually take place demanding the removal of VCs and pro-VCs. Here it is the opposite. We are demanding Sayem sir's reinstatement because we want a good academic environment.
“But neither the government nor the administration has contacted us. We want to return to classes and examinations. The government should accept our demand without further delay and give us the opportunity to return to class.”
Controller of Examinations Moinul Islam said: “We have two terms a year. There is a one-week break after the first term and a three-week break after the second. If the students agree, the time lost so far can still be made up if they forgo those breaks.”
Why is the Government Silent?
Md Samiun Basir, joint secretary of the CUET Teachers' Association and an assistant professor in the Department of Water Resources Engineering, told bdnews24.com that they had travelled to Dhaka on Sept 5.
“We held discussions there with the relevant government authorities. We had informed them of our position in writing earlier. That day, we verbally explained the rationale behind our demand. Our demand is that Prof Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem be reinstated as vice-chancellor.”
Basir said: “They listened to everything. They said they would make a decision and let us know later. We are now waiting for a decision from the highest levels of the government.”
He said the Teachers' Association had made no contact with the newly appointed vice-chancellor.
“We have not contacted him.”
Basir said the CUET Teachers' Association would hold a general meeting to decide its next course of action if the government did not announce a decision soon.
“Our work abstention will continue until the government makes an announcement.”
bdnews24.com called Sayem several times over the past few days to seek his comment on the current situation, but he did not respond. Questions seeking his comments were also sent to him on WhatsApp, but he did not reply.
The government has not explained why Sayem was removed only 56 days after taking office, nor has it publicly addressed the movement that has continued for nearly a month.
Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon was called several times to ask why the government had remained silent. He answered the first call but said he was busy and hung up. He did not answer subsequent calls.
Abdul Khaleque, senior secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, was also contacted for comment. He said he was abroad and ended the call.
