Officials and employees of different ministries and departments at the secretariat suspended their protests until Wednesday following a meeting with high officials held at the hub of the administration of the government on Tuesday.
Protesters who staged demonstrations for the fourth consecutive day today, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the new “Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025”, sat with several secretaries this afternoon.
After the meeting, Ministry of Land Senior Secretary ASM Saleh Ahmed spoke to the media.
“We have listened to the statement of the protesters. The cabinet secretary will be informed about the matter tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. Alongside, the top level of the government will be briefed. Under the circumstances, the employees will not hold any programme on Wednesday,” he said.
Md Badiul Kabir, co-chair of the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees Unity Forum, also said the protest has been suspended for a day.
Earlier in the day, the government employees held their protests, bringing administrative activities at the secretariat to a complete halt.
The demonstrations began around 11am near Building No 6 of the secretariat amid the tightened security at all entrances.
The protesters, who termed the ordinance a “black law”, continued to chant slogans rejecting its legitimacy.
On Monday, the Public Security Division of the Home Ministry restricted all types of visitor entry to the Secretariat for Tuesday.
Besides, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) slapped a restriction on rallies and gatherings in the Secretariat and adjacent areas.
The ordinance issued by the president on Sunday evening allows the government to dismiss employees for four types of disciplinary breaches through a show-cause notice without initiating formal departmental proceedings.
Earlier, following the approval of the draft law by the Advisory Council on 22 May, Secretariat employees began staging demonstrations, dubbing the law unjust and unconstitutional.
