Students of Sylhet Engineering College have announced the withdrawal of their demonstrations following assurances from Industries, Commerce, and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir regarding their demands, including the transformation of the institution into a full-fledged engineering university.

The decision was announced at a meeting between the minister and protesting students at the conference room of Sylhet Circuit House on Friday.

According to a press release signed by Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Al Mamun on Friday night, the students expressed satisfaction with the minister’s assurances and pledged to return to regular classes from Sunday.

During the meeting, Muktadir listened to the students’ demands and assured them that initiatives would be taken to transform Sylhet Engineering College into a full-fledged engineering university.

He also pledged to discuss the long-standing teacher shortage and the proposed transfer of the institution from the Directorate of Technical Education to the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) with the relevant authorities at the highest level.

Sylhet City Corporation Administrator Abdul Kayum Chowdhury separately assured the students that a playground would be constructed on the college campus.

The students raised several demands aimed at improving the quality of education, strengthening the institution’s administrative and academic structure, and ensuring a student-friendly learning environment.

Muktadir said the government was positive about the students’ reasonable demands and remained attentive to their needs, according to the press release.

The latest development came after earlier attempts by Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, the deputy commissioner and the city corporation administrator to persuade the students to end their agitation failed.

The students had been demonstrating for nearly two weeks, demanding that the college be brought out of the jurisdiction of the Directorate of Technical Education. They began their programme by confining 14 teachers to the administrative building.

Established in 2007, Sylhet Engineering College offers undergraduate engineering programmes in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Computer Science and Engineering. Around 1,000 students are enrolled across five batches in the three departments, with most of them participating in the protest.

The students argued that remaining under the Directorate of Technical Education could undermine the status of their higher engineering degrees, including the BSc in Engineering. Their principal demand was immediate release from the directorate’s administrative control.

They had announced an indefinite suspension of classes, examinations, laboratory activities and all academic and administrative operations until the Ministry of Education issued an official notification addressing their demand.

During the protest, the ministry’s Technical and Madrasah Education Division issued a notification regarding changes to the college’s leadership.

As per the, Associate Professor Md Asaduzzaman, who had been serving as acting principal, was transferred to Faridpur Engineering College. Associate Professor Md Shahid Iqbal of Mymensingh Engineering College was assigned the additional responsibility of principal at Sylhet Engineering College.

The students had also opposed the leadership changes, further contributing to the ongoing dispute.