Government employees have temporarily suspended their demonstrations at the Secretariat demanding the repeal of the controversial Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, pending a meeting with the Law Adviser scheduled for later Monday.
The protest was spearheaded by Md Badiul Kabir, President of the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees Coordinated Council, and its Secretary General Nizam Uddin Ahmed. Demonstrators began gathering around 10:45am, marching from in front of Building No. 6 within the Secretariat complex.
Shortly thereafter, a separate faction of the Coordinated Council led by Md Nurul Islam and Mujahidul Islam joined the protest, signaling broad discontent across government staff ranks.
Chanting slogans such as "Illegal black law must be repealed," "No compromise, only struggle," and "Unite and resist—18 lakh employees," the protestors voiced strong opposition to the newly enacted ordinance.
The number of participants swelled throughout the morning as employees from various ministries and departments abandoned their desks to join the demonstration on Secretariat grounds.
Protest leaders argue the ordinance is "unjust, unconstitutional, and undemocratic," and vowed to continue their movement unless the law is withdrawn in full.
The ordinance, promulgated by the President on Sunday evening, allows the government to dismiss employees for four categories of disciplinary violations via show-cause notices—bypassing formal departmental proceedings.
The move followed the Council of Advisers’ approval of the draft on May 22, sparking immediate backlash from public sector employees, who view the measure as a threat to job security and due process.
On Sunday, all employee organizations at the Secretariat pledged to escalate their protest if the ordinance is not scrapped.
While the current demonstration has been suspended ahead of dialogue, organizers have made it clear: the suspension is not a retreat, and they will resume protests if Monday’s meeting fails to produce a satisfactory outcome.
