Cuet students protest police crackdown in Dhaka, threats from polytechnic students

Students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet) held a torch-lit procession yesterday evening to protest a police crackdown on demonstrating engineering students in Dhaka and threats of rape and murder allegedly from some polytechnic students.

The procession, involving around 200 students carrying torches, began at the university's Shadhinota Chattar at 7pm. After marching around the campus, it ended at the main gate, where a rally was held.

Mehedi Hasan, a fourth-year civil engineering student, said, "This procession is a protest against former Dhaka Polytechnic [Institute] student Salman Talim, who threatened to rape a female Buet student and harassed other female students online.

"On 27 August in Dhaka, police attacked those of us attending a peaceful rally with tear gas, sound grenades and water cannons. We had gone there with our legitimate demands."

He added, "We Cuet students have previously marched 35km to besiege the deputy commissioner's office and blocked Shahbagh over 350 kilometres away. If necessary, we will blockade Dhaka again and announce even stricter actions."

Mahi Al Wahid, a third-year mechanical engineering student, said, "We do not want to sit idle. We want to tell the interim [government] that we wish to return to our classes as soon as possible, and that our ethical demands be met."

Meanwhile, Md Rasel Rana, lecturer in the Department of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, condemned the police attack on the protesting engineering students and urged the government to protect their rights and dignity, take swift action against those responsible, and hold both the police and others involved accountable under the law.

Students of Cuet and other engineering universities across Bangladesh have been protesting for months against what they call discrimination in the job sector, pressing home three main demands. 

As part of this campaign, on 27 August, they participated in a "Long March to Dhaka" program, staging a sit-in at Shahbagh.

Police used tear gas, sound grenades and water cannons as the students moved towards the state guest house Jamuna, the chief adviser's official residence, when the government failed to respond to their demands.

Their demands are making a BSc degree the minimum qualification for ninth-grade posts through examinations, removing quotas for 10th-grade positions and reserving them for BSc degree holders, and ensuring that only BSc graduates can use the title of "engineer."