Sylhet Engineering College teachers still unable to leave campus as protest continues

Teachers, officials and employees of Sylhet Engineering College remain unable to leave the campus as protesting students continue to lock the main gate, demanding that the institution be brought fully under Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST).

The students have boycotted classes and examinations for the third consecutive day and vowed to continue the movement until their demands are met.

They announced their decision at a press conference on the campus this afternoon (29 September).

Tanvir Ahmed of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department and Fahad Faisal of the Civil Engineering Department spoke on behalf of the protesters.

They said students had long been demanding that the college be removed from the Directorate of Technical Education’s control. In response, a committee was formed in 2025 under the leadership of the education adviser.

Based on the committee’s recommendations, a decision was taken on 21 January this year to establish the college under SUST as the Institute of Engineering and Technology, SUST. However, the decision has yet to be implemented, they said.

“We have therefore resumed our movement. This time, we will continue until our demands are met. All academic activities, including classes and examinations, will remain suspended during the movement,” the students said.

They demanded that the college be brought fully under SUST or converted into an independent university. They also said they would not accept any ministry order or administrative change while the movement continued.

Locks were seen on the college’s main gate and several academic buildings during the press conference. Academic activities remain suspended.

Teachers remain inside campus

The teachers, officials and employees were released last night after being confined to the administrative building for around 35 hours. However, they remain inside the campus because students have locked the main gate and other access points.

The students said the teachers would not be allowed to leave until their demands were met.

Acting Principal Md Asaduzzaman said this afternoon that no one could leave the campus because the students had locked the main gate and other areas.

He added that discussions between the students and the local administration had failed to resolve the situation.

The students began the protest on Sunday (27 September), boycotting classes and examinations and locking the administrative building. They are demanding that the college be removed from the Directorate of Technical Education and brought fully under SUST.

Administration offers three-month timeline

Yesterday afternoon, a 10-member student delegation met local administration officials at the district administration office. Later, Sylhet City Corporation Administrator Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury, District Commissioner Abdullah Al Mamun and other officials visited the campus and held discussions with the protesters.

The administration told the students it would take steps to initiate the process of converting the college into a university within three months. It also assured them that steps would be taken to bring the college out of the Directorate of Technical Education’s control and address shortages of laboratory and sports facilities.

The students also demanded the cancellation of a government order transferring Acting Principal Md Asaduzzaman. The city administrator said no immediate decision could be made on the issue.

The officials later left the campus without reaching a resolution. The students subsequently discussed the matter among themselves and decided to continue the protest.

Besides full control under SUST or conversion into an independent university, the students have demanded improvements to laboratory facilities and the provision of a playground.

Established in 2007, Sylhet Engineering College has around 1,000 students across five batches in three departments. Its academic activities are conducted under SUST, while its administrative affairs remain under the Directorate of Technical Education.