Highlights:
- Employees’ protest enter fourth day demanding dismissal of law
- SWAT, BGB, RAB deployed to control demonstrations
- Employees’ Unity Forum backs Secretariat protest
- Visitor and journalist access to Secretariat suspended
- July Mancha stages sit-in outside Secretariat gates
The government put extensive security measures in place at the Secretariat today (27 May) to keep under control the demonstrations by government employees, who have been protesting against the public service ordinance and are demanding that the amendments to the Public Service Act — which allow easier dismissal of employees for misconduct — be repealed.
Members of SWAT, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have been deployed around the administrative complex, alongside increased presence of regular security forces, including the Armed Police Battalion, police, and Ansar.
Two armoured personnel carriers (APCs) were seen parked outside the Secretariat.
Yesterday (26 May), the Ministry of Home Affairs announced that visitor entry to the Secretariat would be suspended today. Since this morning, journalists have also been barred from entering.
Security officials stated that media access would remain restricted until further notice from higher authorities.
With security tightened at all entry points and public and media access suspended, the Secretariat remained at the centre of heightened tension as the employees’ movement continued for the fourth day.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees United Council has confirmed that protests will go ahead as planned.
Md Badiul Kabir, the council’s president, told The Business Standard, “The protest will continue.”
He also serves as co-chairman of the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers-Employees Unity Forum, a body formed yesterday bringing together all officers’ and employees’ organisations at the Secretariat to continue the movement.
Today marked the fourth consecutive day of protest. Around 11am, employees gathered at Badamtala, near Building No 6, chanting slogans and urging others to join.
“This illegal black law will not be accepted,” was among the slogans heard during the demonstration.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Discrimination Employees’ Unity Forum has extended its support for the government employees’ movement.
ABM Abdus Sattar, a former secretary and president of the forum, made the remarks while talking to reporters after reportedly being denied entry into the Secretariat this morning.
Sattar later claimed that the government is planning to suspend the recent amendments to the Public Service Act, but their protest will continue until an official gazette notification is issued.
“An hour and a half ago, they said they would suspend it. But we said the suspension order must be issued. Then we will withdraw our movement,” he said.
“This movement is no longer confined to the Secretariat. Today, all directorates, all organisations, and field-level DC and UNO offices across the country will take to the field,” he added.
“I came to meet with several senior officials, including the cabinet, public administration, and home secretaries, to help ensure the movement remains orderly. But I was not allowed to enter,” he said.
“I am a former employee. I consider it illegal to stop me in this way, as I was not there to join the protest,” Sattar added.
Criticising the ordinance and expressing concern about the government’s approach, he said, “The law that the government has made is in no way acceptable. Even during the time of the fascist Awami League, such a law was not made.”
He also alleged that individuals who had benefited during the Awami League’s time in government are still holding key positions.
“It will not be possible to manage anything properly if they remain in charge. They must first be removed. Instead of doing that, the government is introducing repressive laws. This is not acceptable,” he said.
In a separate development, a group named July Mancha staged a sit-in outside Gate No 1 of the Secretariat near the Osmani Memorial Auditorium.
Around 10 people took part, delivering speeches from a rickshaw fitted with loudspeakers. The event, titled Journey to Overthrow Fascism, included slogans such as “Fascist bureaucrats beware”, “Overthrow fascism”, and “Ekta Ekta Amla Dhor, Dhoira Dhoira Jaile Bhor” (Arrest every bureaucrat, throw them in jail).
Following police intervention, they refused to leave the area and continued to chant slogans without loudspeakers.
However, around 12:10pm, police invited this group of protesters inside the Secretariat.
Earlier on Sunday (25 May), the government published the ordinance in a gazette through the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division.
It was approved earlier on 22 May in a meeting of the interim cabinet’s advisory council. Secretariat staff began protesting the following day and held rallies on Saturday (24 May).
The ordinance amends the Government Service Act 2018 by introducing a provision that lists activities considered “misconduct”. The ordinance allows dismissal of public servants for “administrative disruptions” within 14 days and without departmental proceedings.
Under the amendment, employees can now be dismissed with only a notice for four types of offences. The demonstrators are demanding a full repeal of the law.
