Govt to revise public service ordinance instead of full withdrawal

Highlights:

• Review expected to conclude within two weeks
• Talks held with employee leaders; next round today
• Govt may distribute disciplinary powers to reduce bias
• Revisions to clarify insubordination, absence rules

Despite protests from public employees demanding full withdrawal, the government is opting to revise the newly enacted Government Service (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, with clarifications and revisions to address clauses vulnerable to misuse and criticised by employees.

Sources in the Ministry of Public Administration of and the Cabinet Division said a process has begun to identify and amend contentious clauses. The aim is to address objections raised by employees while keeping the ordinance legally viable. 

The review is expected to conclude within two weeks, after which the ordinance will be placed before the Advisory Council for approval, the sources said.

The original ordinance, issued on 25 May, allows authorities to terminate public servants for four types of misconduct without formal departmental proceedings – based only on a show-cause notice. This sparked immediate backlash from civil service associations, leading to protests and calls for cancellation.

In response, the government formed a review committee on 4 June, headed by Law Adviser Asif Nazrul. The committee held its first meeting on 16 June. 

A participant at the meeting, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the committee identified provisions vulnerable to misuse and agreed to add explanatory clauses to ensure only actual offenders are penalised.

The Ministry of Public Administration and Cabinet Division were tasked with preparing the draft changes. The committee was instructed to ensure revisions do not trigger further employee dissatisfaction.

On Monday, members of the review committee held a meeting with Md Nurul Islam, Badiul Kabir, and Md Nazrul Islam – leaders of the Secretariat Officers and Employees Unity Forum.

Another round of talks with them is scheduled for today. A government announcement addressing the situation may follow, depending on how negotiations unfold.

Speaking to The Business Standard today, co-chairman Badiul Kabir said, "It's still unclear what the government plans to do. If the clauses we oppose are removed, we will consider the matter through discussions. But if our objections remain, employees will not accept this ordinance. If those sections are dropped, the ordinance will become redundant anyway."

Likely revisions

One official said the revised ordinance would clearly define what constitutes 'insubordination' to prevent arbitrary or politically motivated charges. A list of actionable behaviours under this category is being drafted to avoid subjective interpretation.

Another clause under review concerns absence from duty. Currently, the ordinance allows disciplinary action against employees who are absent without a "justified reason". Now, a clarification will be added: personal emergencies without prior notice should not automatically trigger punishment.

Further revisions will target provisions allowing action against those who "incite" others to abstain from work or obstruct duties. A new clause will clarify that only direct complaints from affected employees can trigger disciplinary measures under this section – not third-party accusations.

To prevent abuse against female staff, the revised ordinance will include new safeguards. These may include requiring a formal complaint process and ensuring accused employees get the right to respond before any action is taken.

Regarding the disciplinary mechanism, the current ordinance allows a designated official to initiate and resolve allegations. The government is considering distributing these powers among multiple individuals or forming a committee to ensure transparency and reduce the risk of bias.

A senior official from the review meeting said the Ministry of Public Administration did not initiate the ordinance on its own but did so on government orders. "We will implement whatever decision the government takes. If the ordinance is withdrawn, we have no objection," the official added.

Two key members of the review committee – the cabinet secretary and the land secretary – are currently on foreign trips and are expected back in the first week of July. The committee will reconvene after their return to finalise its recommendations.