Leaders of the Diploma Engineering Struggle Council have accused engineering university students of trying to weaken their own professional standing by pressing a “so-called three-point demand.”

They alleged that the movement was designed to embarrass the government, warning that fulfilling the demands would jeopardize more than 500 polytechnic institutes nationwide.

According to the leaders, the agitating students are rejecting government circulars issued in 1978 and 1994. Instead of joining the protests, diploma professionals are calling for the implementation of their own seven-point demand.

Currently, BSc engineers from BUET and other universities are campaigning to stop diploma engineers from using the title “Engineer,” while diploma engineers are demanding safeguards against BSc engineers being appointed to sub-assistant engineer positions.