Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Sheikh Shariful Alam remained confined to the administrative building-2 for nearly 24 hours till Tuesday afternoon without electricity, as protesting students locked it demanding his resignation.

The protesters have warned that they will not unlock the building until the newly appointed VC resigns and former VC Prof Dr Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem is reinstated.

Among those who accompanied the VC two former students fell sick

On Monday night, around 1am, CUET Medical Centre physician Dr Mohammad Abdullah and technologist Basudeb entered the Administrative Building-2 to examine them.

One of them, Shahriar was taken to Evercare Hospital in Chattogram. Another former student, Titu Md Sohan, who suffered from elevated blood pressure, received treatment at CUET medical centre.

They were allowed to enter following discussions with the protesting students after the VC called for medical assistance over the phone.

VC Prof Sheikh Shariful Alam said two former students were suffering from complications related to high blood pressure, prompting him to call an ambulance and a doctor.

"As everyone has been confined here for a long time, we are all feeling unwell and exhausted," he said.

According to witnesses, the vice-chancellor arrived on campus around 9am on Monday in a microbus. He reportedly entered the campus introducing himself as a teacher at the gate.

He later went to the VC's office with leaders of the CUET unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), broke the lock on the office building's gate and took his designated seat.

CUET JCD President Wasif Rashed, Joint General Secretary Abu Sufian Al Sabit and Organising Secretary Biplob Hossain were present in his office at the time.

The vice-chancellor was earlier scheduled to be in Dhaka to attend a meeting of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

In his absence, Mechanical Engineering Department Professor Dr Arafat Rahman was assigned the routine duties of the vice-chancellor for October 11 and 12.

After the VC entered the building, the protesting students gave him and his associates until noon to leave the premises.

They warned that failure to comply would prompt them to declare the building vacant, lock its entrance and disconnect electricity and water supplies.

When the deadline expired, the students locked the inner gate of the VC's building around 12:30pm and disconnected its electricity supply.

They chanted slogans, including "Lock it, lock it, lock the VC's building" and "Reject, reject, reject the online VC."

Students have been enforcing a "complete shutdown" at CUET since September 22, protesting the appointment of the new vice-chancellor and demanding the reinstatement of former VC Prof Dr Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem.

Teachers, officers and employees of the university have also been observing work abstention in support of the demand.

Classes and examinations at CUET have remained suspended for 20 consecutive days due to the ongoing protests and work abstentions.