Online Desk 

The government has advised Professor Sheikh Shariful Alam, vice-chancellor of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), to recover fully and return to campus as soon as possible. He is currently receiving treatment at Chattogram Medical College Hospital after being rescued following nearly 30 hours of confinement.

He was rescued and admitted to the hospital on Tuesday evening, October 13. Doctors have placed him under close observation for 24 hours, and a specialist medical board has been formed to oversee his treatment.

Speaking by phone from the hospital, Professor Shariful Alam said the government had assured him of full cooperation. He added that he had also been encouraged to recover quickly and return to campus.

The vice-chancellor said the health of all 11 people confined with him deteriorated amid what he described as inhumane conditions. He said the power supply had been cut off from noon on Monday, causing him severe distress. He was later taken to hospital following advice from government physicians and the civil surgeon.

Meanwhile, he dismissed reports claiming that he had resigned and would never return to the CUET campus. He said he had made no such statement or issued any such announcement, urging the media to maintain accuracy and objectivity in reporting.

Addressing the protesting students, the vice-chancellor urged them not to jeopardise their valuable academic lives or allow any vested-interest group to use them for its own purposes.

He said he had come to Chattogram to fulfil a responsibility assigned by the state, adding that his purpose was neither personal gain nor the implementation of any partisan agenda.

The incident began on Monday morning when the newly appointed vice-chancellor entered CUET’s administrative building after outsiders broke the lock on its main gate. Students subsequently gave him until noon to leave his office. When he failed to leave within the stipulated time, the building’s gate was locked again at around 12:30pm, leaving the vice-chancellor and others inside confined.

After nearly 30 hours, the Chattogram deputy commissioner and superintendent of police arrived at around 6pm on Tuesday and rescued the vice-chancellor. He was subsequently taken from the campus to the hospital by ambulance under police escort.

Source: Dhaka Post