Shutdown underway at Buet, other engineering universities as students press for 3 demands
Further programmes to be announced during press conference at IEB this afternoon
Highlights:
- Leader says protest to continue until demands met
- Field actions limited to avoid causing public suffering
- Next programmes to be announced at 5pm
- DMP chief apologised to students last night over police action
Students at engineering universities in the country, including Buet, are boycotting classes and examinations today (28 August) as part of a "complete shutdown" programme announced by Engineers' Rights Movement General Secretary Sakibul Haque Lipu last night to press home three demands.
Lipu said the protest will continue until their demands are met. However, he added that students are trying to limit field activities to avoid causing public suffering.
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The next phase of the programme will be announced at a press conference at the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh at 5pm today.
At the centre of the movement is the call to make entry tests mandatory for all candidates seeking recruitment in the ninth grade of engineering or for positions such as assistant engineer.
Eligibility, they insist, should be restricted to those holding at least a BSc degree in engineering. They also oppose promotions through quotas or by creating equivalent posts under different names.
Their second demand is to open recruitment examinations for the 10th grade of technical or equivalent posts, such as sub-assistant engineer, to both diploma and BSc degree holders.
The third demand seeks legal action against those using the title of "engineer" without a BSc degree in engineering.
In line with the nationwide programme, students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet) were observing the complete shutdown, with academic activities suspended since morning.
Buses from the transport pool have not left, leaving the campus largely deserted.
BSc engineers from Buet, Cuet and other universities have launched protests with three demands, including barring diploma engineers from using the title of "engineer" before their names.
Lipu told the media last night that further programmes will be announced at a press conference at the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh this afternoon.
After the announcement, protesters from engineering universities left Shahbagh around 10:45pm.
Students of Cuet and Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (Ruet) staged demonstrations yesterday, blocking major roads in their respective cities.
The protests were held both to press home their demands regarding the status of diploma engineers and to protest alleged police attacks on students from Buet and other universities during their demonstrations in Dhaka.
Earlier in the day, police fired tear gas and sound grenades, charged batons, and used water cannons to disperse students of engineering universities as they marched towards the chief adviser's official residence, Jamuna.
Md Sabbir Ahmed, coordinator of the Engineers' Rights Movement, said some students were injured and hospitalised after police used batons and tear gas on them.
At least eight members of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) were also injured during chases and counter-chases, according to the home ministry.
In a statement, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) strongly condemned the police attack on protesting engineering students.
The protesting students of engineering universities ended their 12-hour-long sit-in at Shahbagh after Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner SM Sazzat Ali expressed regret over the police action.
At around 10pm, the commissioner appeared before the protesting students and termed the police action near the InterContinental Dhaka "unfortunate," apologising for the incident.
After the commissioner's departure, the protesting students announced that they will not hold any further programmes that create public suffering and would continue discussions with the government regarding their demands.
