Officials protest at Secretariat, set to submit memo to 3 advisers today seeking repeal of Public Service Ordinance
Although the finance adviser is going to present the national budget for FY2025-26 tomorrow (2 June) and the process to finalise it is going on, many finance ministry officials still joined the protest
Highlights:
- Government officials scheduled to submit memorandums to three advisers today
- Officials at the secretariat will submit memorandums to two advisers tomorrow
- Protest ongoing with a demand to repeal Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance 2025
- Finance ministry officials also joined protest despite preparation of budget for FY2025-26
Government employees began protesting at the Secretariat this morning (June 1) as they prepared to submit a memorandum to three advisers of the interim government, demanding the repeal of the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance 2025.
Intending to submit the memorandum to the advisers to the food, environment, and energy ministries today, a large number of officials of various ministries and departments gathered at the Badam Tola premises beside Building No 6 of the Secretariat at 11am.
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Although the finance adviser is going to present the national budget for FY2025-26 tomorrow (2 June) and the process to finalise it is going on, many finance ministry officials still joined the protest.
Wishing to be anonymous, an official said a senior official of their department had encouraged them to join the programme.
The protesters were seen chanting various slogans demanding the repeal of the amended law and protesting discrimination.
Talking to reporters about today's programme, Secretariat Officials' Unity Quorum Co-Chairman Nurul Islam said, "Our movement will continue until this black law is repealed. We have gathered today to submit the memorandum."
"We will submit the memorandum to three advisers today, and we want good news from the government before Eid-ul-Adha. Otherwise, we will add other demands and launch a tougher movement across the country," he said.
The Secretariat officials are also scheduled to submit a memorandum to LGRD and Cooperatives Adviser Asif Mahmud and Information and Broadcasting Adviser Mahfuj Alam tomorrow (2 June).
Earlier on Thursday (29 May), government employees had announced plans to submit memorandums to five advisers today and tomorrow as part of their ongoing movement.
The ordinance, issued on 25 May, allows for the dismissal of employees for four types of misconduct through show-cause notices, without any departmental proceedings.
Following its draft approval on 22 May, all employee associations at the Secretariat have been staging protests since 24 May.
Last week, employees met with several secretaries, including the senior secretary of the land ministry.
Officials said the demand for withdrawal would be conveyed to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus upon his return.
CA Yunus returned home from Japan last night (31 May) after wrapping up a four-day visit.
Meanwhile, a one-hour nationwide work stoppage was observed on Thursday.
The protests began on 24 May after the interim government's Advisory Council approved the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 on 23 May, allowing dismissal of civil servants by simply issuing a show cause notice without filing a departmental case for four types of disciplinary offences.
Amid the protest, the ordinance was officially issued on 25 May.
Meanwhile, amid the protest, the government decided to ban visitors from entering the Bangladesh Secretariat on Mondays and Thursdays each week for an indefinite period.
Visitors were previously restricted from entering the Secretariat only on Mondays.
