Highlights:

• Leader says protest to continue until demands met
• Field actions limited to avoid causing public suffering
• Next programmes to be announced at 5pm 
• DMP chief apologised to students last night over police action 

Students at engineering universities in the country are boycotting classes and examinations today (28 August) as part of a “complete shutdown” programme announced by Engineers’ Rights Movement General Secretary Sakibul Haque Lipu last night to press home three demands.

Lipu said the protest will continue until their demands are met. However, he added that students are trying to limit field activities to avoid causing public suffering.

The next phase of the programme will be announced at a press conference at the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh at 5pm today.

At the centre of the movement is the call to make entry tests mandatory for all candidates seeking recruitment in the ninth grade of engineering or for positions such as assistant engineer.

Eligibility, they insist, should be restricted to those holding at least a BSc degree in engineering. They also oppose promotions through quotas or by creating equivalent posts under different names.

Their second demand is to open recruitment examinations for the 10th grade of technical or equivalent posts, such as sub-assistant engineer, to both diploma and BSc degree holders.

The third demand seeks legal action against those using the title of “engineer” without a BSc degree in engineering.