Secretaries to Present Employees’ Demands Tomorrow; Protest Paused for a Day
Protesting government employees have decided to suspend their movement for one day following assurances that their demands will be communicated to the Cabinet Secretary.
The demand centers around the withdrawal of the ‘controversial’ Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, which employees have denounced as repressive and unjust.
On Tuesday afternoon (May 27), several secretaries, including Land Ministry Senior Secretary ASM Saleh Ahmed, held a meeting with leaders of the protesting employees at the Secretariat.
Following the meeting, Saleh Ahmed told reporters that the Cabinet Secretary had assigned a group of secretaries, including himself, to listen to the concerns of the protesters. He added that the group will report the employees' demands to the Cabinet Secretary at 10:00 AM tomorrow (Wednesday).
In response to this development, protest leaders have announced a temporary halt to their movement.
Muhammad Nurul Islam, Co-Chairman of the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees Unity Forum and President of a faction of the Secretariat Officers and Employees Unified Council, confirmed that no protest programs will be held on Wednesday.
He was joined by other leaders, including Badiul Kabir and Nazrul Islam.
Background of the Protests
The unrest began last Thursday when the interim government's Advisory Council approved a draft amendment to the 2018 Public Service Act. The ordinance was officially promulgated by the President on Sunday evening, sparking widespread outrage among government employees across various ministries and departments.
Protesters argue that the ordinance severely restricts employee rights and freedoms. It introduces strict disciplinary measures—such as demotion or dismissal—for four types of misconduct, including encouraging others to disobey or abstain from work.
Over the past four days, thousands of employees left their offices to join protest marches and rallies inside the Secretariat, demanding immediate repeal of the ordinance.
Heightened Security Measures
In light of the ongoing demonstrations, security inside the Secretariat was significantly heightened on Tuesday. Specialized SWAT units, as well as personnel from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), were deployed to maintain order. Entry to the Secretariat was strictly restricted, with only authorized officials and employees allowed inside. Journalists were barred from entering until 1:00 PM, after the conclusion of the day's protest events.
Despite the heavy security presence, employees continued their demonstration peacefully within the Secretariat premises, chanting slogans and expressing their resolve to continue the movement until the ordinance is withdrawn.
Leaders warned that unless concrete steps are taken by the government to repeal the ordinance, the protests could escalate and spread across the country.
