CUET V-C Halts Salaries for 1,087 Teachers and Staff, Employees Stage Sit-in outside Sonali Bank.

Staff Reporter ​Widespread anger and resentment have erupted at chattagram University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) after the salaries for September and the upcoming Durga Puja festival allowances of teachers, officers, and staff were suspended under the directives of the Vice-Chancellor. In protest against the decision, university staff staged a sit-in demonstration in front of the Sonali Bank branch on campus on Wednesday morning (October 7). ​Protesters declared that their sit-in program outside the bank would continue until the outstanding salaries and allowances are disbursed immediately. ​According to university sources, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Sheikh Shariful Alam sent an official letter to the manager of Sonali Bank’s CUET branch on Tuesday (October 6), instructing to withhold the release of September salaries. Following this unilateral directive from the Vice-Chancellor, the salaries and festival allowances for a total of 1,087 individuals—including 367 teachers, 208 officers, and 512 staff members—have been completely blocked. ​Speaking on condition of anonymity, several officials alleged that an anti-VC movement has been ongoing on the CUET campus for the past 15 days. They claimed that the Vice-Chancellor arbitrarily stopped their pay and allowances out of political vengeance because a section of teachers, officers, and staff expressed solidarity with and joined the movement. ​Expressing deep outrage, Jamal Uddin, President of the CUET Staff Association, said, "By stopping the September salary and festival allowances right before the sacred religious festival of Durga Puja, the Vice-Chancellor has behaved in an extremely inhumane manner toward the teachers and employees. This unjust decision will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Our program will continue until our fair salaries and allowances are released by the bank." ​With Sharadiya Durga Puja around the corner, Hindu teachers and employees at the university face severe financial distress due to the sudden suspension of pay and allowances. Protesters warned that if the crisis is not resolved immediately, the CUET community will announce even tougher agitation programs.