The Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Alumni Association on Monday condemned the police action against protesting engineering students and demanded immediate action against those responsible.
In a statement, issued on the day, 61 people from different sections of society under the banner of Civil Society called for an impartial probe into the attack along with reform and justice in the engineering and technical sector.
At least 18 people were injured in a clash while police charged batons, hurled sound grenades and lobbed teargas shells to the protesting engineering students on August 27 when they were marching towards the state guest house Jamuna to press their three-point demands, including reforms in the public service recruitment and promotion system of engineers.聽
On Monday, the BUET Alumni association formed a human chain at the BUET Shaheed Minar in Dhaka, said a press release.
At the human chain association president and BRAC University professor emeritus Ainun Nishat stated that ensuring proper evaluation and honour of the country鈥檚 engineers was essential for moving forward on par with the developed world.聽聽
They expressed full solidarity with the demands of the students.
The statement, issued by Civil Society on Monday, read that each of the groups (graduate engineers, diploma engineers, and craft instructors) had made invaluable contributions to the country鈥檚 development and technological progress.
鈥榃hat is needed is a reform framework grounded in merit, transparency and international standards,鈥� it read, adding, 鈥楩or this reason, we urge the government to establish an 鈥淓ngineering and Technical Reform Commission鈥� comprising all relevant stakeholders.鈥�
The proposed commission, with its focus on recruitment, promotion and improvement in technical education, would be tasked with recommending reforms aligned with international benchmarks, it further read.
鈥榃e express our deep regret over the recent incidents of police action against engineers,鈥� the statement said, urging the government to respect the right to peaceful assembly and take appropriate action against those responsible for the attack.
The statement was signed by, among others, Counterpoint Executive Editor Jyoti Rahman, University of Texas Austin Dell Medical School professor Rumi Ahmed Khan, Dhaka University development studies department professor Asif M Shahan, writer and Constitutional Reform Commission member Firoz Ahmed, political analyst and writer Shafiqur Rahman, writer and activist Subail Bin Alam, and public policy professional and activist Asif Iqbal.
