United News of Bangladesh

Employees at the Bangladesh Secretariat will observe a two-hour work abstention on Monday demanding the repeal of the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. Md Nurul Islam, chairman of the Secretariat Officers and Employees Unity Forum, announced the fresh programme from a protest rally on the Secretariat premises on Sunday. The 2-hour work abstention will start at 11am. Earlier around 11:15am, employees began their demonstration from the ground floor of the Finance Ministry. They marched through different sections of the Secretariat chanting slogans against the ordinance. This demonstration marks the continuation of a series of protests staged by government employees against the ordinance which they claim would curtail job security and benefits for certain categories of staff. Tensions at secretariat as employees continue protests On June 19, secretariat employees staged a similar protest expressing concern over the ordinance, which they said was drafted without consulting stakeholders and could pave the way for arbitrary decisions on employment status and disciplinary action. The Unity Forum said that if their demands are not met, they will announce stronger protest programmes in the coming days. The draft of the controversial ordinance was approved at a meeting of the Advisory Council on May 22. It includes provisions allowing dismissal of government employees for four types of disciplinary offences without a formal departmental inquiry, requiring only a show-cause notice. The ordinance was promulgated on May 25, sparking widespread backlash among public servants. Government employees have condemned the ordinance as regressive and a ‘black law’. Govt employees vow to continue movement until ordinance fully revoked Since May 24, they have been staging protest marches, work abstentions, and sit-ins within the Secretariat. Memorandums have also been submitted to several advisers demanding its repeal.

Government employees on Wednesday warned of fresh protests on Thursday if the authorities fail to take steps to repeal the recently enacted Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. Leaders of the movement said on Wednesday that the demonstrations will continue until the ordinance is completely revoked. Nurul Islam, co-chairman of the Secretariat Officers and Employees Unity Forum, said, “We have already planned conventions in all eight divisions. Senior government officials have betrayed our trust in the name of dialogue. We demand a 50 percent dearness allowance. Those bureaucrats supporting this fascist ordinance must be removed.” Forum president Badiul Kabir echoed the demand, affirming that the protest would persist until the ordinance is scrapped in its entirety. Demand to repeal govt service ordinance: Employees resume protest at Secretariat Protesters staged demonstrations in front of Building No. 6 of the Secretariat on Wednesday, reiterating their opposition to the ordinance. Nazrul Islam, another leader of the movement, said, “We are disciplined government workers. But if the ordinance is not withdrawn, we will launch a larger movement on Sunday.” The government promulgated the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 on May 25, introducing a provision that allows the termination of public servants—without departmental proceedings—in four specific disciplinary cases, requiring only a show-cause notice. The draft of the ordinance was approved during the Advisory Council meeting on May 22. Since May 24, all unions representing government officers and staff at the Secretariat have been staging joint protests, calling for the repeal of what they describe as a “repressive and undemocratic ordinance.”