Engineering Universities Across Bangladesh Hold Complete Shutdown Over Three Demands

Students at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and other engineering universities across the country have launched a “complete shutdown” program, starting Thursday morning. All classes and exams at BUET have been suspended.

The movement, announced by the student platform Engineering Rights Movement, was formally declared at a press conference on Wednesday night.

Since Tuesday afternoon, BUET students had been staging a sit-in at Shahbagh in Dhaka to press their three-point demand. Yesterday around 11 a.m., students from BUET and other engineering universities blocked Shahbagh intersection as part of the pre-planned program.

When the students tried to march toward the residence of the Chief Adviser at Jamuna, a clash broke out with the police. Officers used batons, sound grenades, and tear gas to stop the students, who retaliated by throwing bricks and stones.

The three key demands are:

1. Engineering Recruitment: Entry to the 9th-grade engineering positions (or equivalent, such as Assistant Engineer) should require passing a competitive exam, and candidates must hold at least a BSc degree. No promotions should be given through quotas or by creating equivalent positions.

2. Technical Recruitment: Recruitment exams for 10th-grade technical posts (or equivalent, such as Sub-Assistant Engineer) should be open to both diploma and BSc holders.

3. Legal Recognition of Engineering Titles: Legal action must be taken against individuals using the title of “Engineer” without a BSc degree. Non-accredited BSc engineering programs should be properly accredited under IEB-BTEB guidelines.