Engineers’ shutdown to continue, rallies planned across divisional cities
The Prakaushali Adhikar Andolan, a coalition of BSc engineering graduates, has announced the continuation of its nationwide ‘complete shutdown’ at all engineering universities until further notice, as part of its campaign to secure three key demands.
The group also plans to intensify its protest by holding rallies in all divisional cities starting early next week, culminating in a national rally in Dhaka, organisers said.
The announcement was made by Mohammad Wali Ullah, president of the Engineers’ Rights Movement, during a press conference held at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) office in the capital on Thursday evening, August 28.
Wali Ullah confirmed that the ongoing shutdown at engineering and technological universities across the country will persist. “The divisional rallies will begin early next week, followed by a national rally in Dhaka,” he said.
Addressing the recent police action against student protesters, Wali Ullah noted that while the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner has issued an apology for yesterday’s violent crackdown, no investigation committee has yet been formed.
“If no concrete action is taken against those responsible for injuring students, we will be forced to announce even stricter measures,” he warned.
He further urged that the government-appointed committee reviewing their demands should include academics and technical experts in its working panel. “Advisers and secretaries are preoccupied with bureaucratic duties. We need specialists who understand engineering education and workforce standards,” he said, adding that the committee should deliver its recommendations within 15 days.
The Three-Point Demands
1. Appointment to Assistant Engineer (Grade-9):
Only individuals holding a minimum BSc in Engineering should be eligible for appointment. The movement strongly opposes the creation of new posts or promotions based on quotas or alternative designations that bypass academic qualifications.
2. Appointment to Sub Assistant Engineer (Grade-10):
Recruitment opportunities should be preserved for both diploma engineers and BSc engineering graduates in the same discipline. The latter should be allowed to sit for competitive exams to ensure merit-based selection.
3. Protection of the ‘Engineer’ Title:
The title of “Engineer” must be legally restricted to those holding a recognised BSc Engineering degree. Legal action should be taken against unauthorised use of the title. Additionally, all non-accredited BSc engineering programmes must be brought under the accreditation framework of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) and the Bangladesh Association of Engineers, Technologists and Experts (BAETE) without delay.