Employees at the Bangladesh Secretariat resumed their protests on Monday demanding the immediate repeal of the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, with fresh plans for a rally on Tuesday.
Md Nurul Islam, co-chairman of the "Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees Unity Forum," announced that staffers will again gather at Badamtola on the Secretariat premises.
He warned that those who do not participate in the rally will be “compelled” to join.
The protests, which restarted after the Eid holidays, included processions and a rally, and culminated in the submission of a memorandum to an adviser.
According to the previously declared schedule, employees gathered at Building 6 around 11am and began a protest march.
They later assembled beneath the Cabinet Division’s new building before handing a memorandum to Adilur Rahman Khan, adviser for both the Ministry of Housing and Public Works and the Ministry of Industries. Unity forum leaders Md Badiul Kabir and Nazrul Islam were also present.
As per the new plan, employees from each ministry are expected to march separately and converge at Badamtola by 11am on Tuesday.
“If anyone fails to attend, we will assume they are aligned with the fascist regime,” said Nurul Islam. “And if we are not invited to the table for talks, more demands will be added to our list.”
He further stated: “If the ordinance is repealed, we will quietly return to our homes. But if you choose to play with fire, we will respond in kind, and you will not be able to return to your homes either. Do not force us to take that route.”
Addressing senior officials, Nurul Islam said employees have yet to block rooms or gates, but warned that future escalations are possible.
The protests first began on May 24 after the ordinance draft was approved by the Advisory Council.
Despite the demonstrations, the government officially issued the ordinance late on May 25.
Under its provisions, government employees can be dismissed without formal departmental proceedings for four types of disciplinary breaches—only a show-cause notice would be required.
Protesters had paused ahead of Eid but warned of tougher action if the ordinance was not revoked by June 15. They had also submitted memoranda to seven government advisers.
In response to the growing pressure, the Cabinet Division formed a review committee on June 4, led by Law Adviser Asif Nazrul.
The committee held its first meeting on Monday afternoon. Asif urged employees to suspend protest programs until the committee submits its recommendations.
Speaking at the rally, Nurul Islam accused the government of playing a “game of snakes and ladders” with public servants.
“We demanded dearness allowance, promotions, and Secretariat-specific benefits. Instead, the government imposed a unified recruitment policy to block us. When it triggered unrest, we calmed things down—but now this ordinance has pushed us back on the streets.”
He added that if the government continues to ignore their demands, they will launch divisional-level conferences.
“The gazette itself mandates consultation before issuing such an ordinance. No such consultation has taken place. So there’s deception even in the notification,” he claimed.
“We’re protesting under the scorching sun while you sit in air-conditioned rooms,” he said. “If government offices and advisers avoid our gatherings, we’ll consider them collaborators of fascist lawmakers.”
Nurul concluded firmly: “We do not want revisions, amendments, or tweaks. We demand full repeal. There is no turning back from this.”
