Ministry reconstitutes permanent committee on govt employees' demands amid nationwide protests

The Ministry of Public Administration has reconstituted the permanent committee on reviewing various demands raised by government employees amid protests from several employee associations demanding sweeping reforms, removals, and policy reversals.

The ministry issued a notification in this regard today (25 May).

The ten-member committee is chaired by an additional secretary of the Public Administration Ministry, and six of its members are from the same ministry. The remaining four members represent the Cabinet Division, Finance Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, with each representative holding a rank not below that of joint secretary.

The committee is tasked with reviewing the legitimacy and rationale behind various demands of government employees, providing opinions and recommendations. It is scheduled to hold meetings once a month and may, if necessary, engage in discussions with an adequate number of employee representatives.

The reconstitution comes at a time of widespread unrest among public servants. In protest against the draft of the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, civil servants organised consecutive demonstrations at the Secretariat yesterday and today. Protesters have threatened tougher action if the draft ordinance is not scrapped.

Simultaneously, officials and employees from the Customs and Tax departments are demonstrating against the ordinance proposing the dissolution of the National Board of Revenue (NBR).

Meanwhile, a faction of the Dhaka South City Corporation officials is staging protests demanding that BNP leader Ishraque be appointed as mayor.

Additionally, assistant teachers in government primary schools are set to begin a full-day work abstention starting tomorrow over several demands, including recognising the assistant teacher position as an entry-level post with placement in the 11th pay grade, resolving complexities around obtaining higher grades after 10 and 16 years of service, and ensuring promotion to the position of head teacher from within the assistant teacher pool.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a leader of an employee organisation that led Sunday's demonstration at the Secretariat told The Business Standard, "The government should have reconstituted this committee before enacting a repressive law, before inflation soared past 10%, or ahead of budget formulation. Instead, this move comes at a time when it could be used to delay or stall employees' demands."

"Civil servants may bring their long-standing issues to the committee, but going to the committee regarding the public service law is pointless. What the employees want is for the government to cancel the draft ordinance it has approved. If any changes are to be made in legislation, they should be opened for public feedback. Otherwise, the movement will continue," the employee added.