Protests continue at Sust as VC, other teachers confined over students' union election delay
The protest later led to a blockade of the Sylhet–Sunamganj regional highway.
Protests demanding the timely polls of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Central Students' Union (Sucsu) and hall union are continuing on campus, with students confining Vice-Chancellor Prof AM Sarwaruddin Chowdhury, and other teachers inside the administrative building.
A section of students, including candidates from Chhatra Shibir-backed panels, locked the university's administrative building to press home for immediate elections.
As of 7pm today, the VC, along with several teachers and officials, remained confined as protesters chanted slogans demanding the election. However, the confinement started at 12:30pm.
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The protests erupted shortly after the High Court today afternoon stayed the Sucsu and hall union elections for four weeks after hearing a writ petition submitted by an independent candidate.
Upon learning of the order, aggrieved students and candidates began demonstrations that later escalated into a blockade of the Sylhet–Sunamganj regional highway.
Around 2pm, protesters positioned themselves in front of the university's main gate, blocking the highway and causing severe traffic congestion on both sides of the road. The blockade continued until around 5:30pm, after which demonstrators moved to the administrative building and intensified their protest.
During the demonstration, students shouted several slogans in favour of the election.
Around 4:15pm, protesters declared the writ petitioner Muminur Rashid Shuvo "Persona non grata" on campus. Independent general secretary candidate Faisal Hossain said the university administration has already applied to the chamber judge court challenging the HC order.
Meanwhile, divisions have surfaced among teachers over the election as eight BNP-backed teachers resigned from their posts as election commissioners, citing the absence of a fair electoral environment due to what they termed the questionable role of the university administration.
At a press conference on the campus around 12:30pm, Ashraf Uddin, president of the Nationalist Teachers' Forum, said an additional 100 to 150 BNP-aligned teachers would refrain from all election-related responsibilities.
In contrast, the Jamaat-leaning teachers' organisation University Teachers' Link (UTL), Sust chapter, held a separate press briefing at around 1:30pm. UTL Member Secretary Mohammad Saiful Islam said they had discussed with the VC to hold the election.
The Sucsu election was scheduled to be held tomorrow, marking the first student union election at the university in 28 years.
