The government employees will launch tougher programmes from Sunday, if the authorities concerned fail to take steps to repeal the recently-enacted Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.
They said they will observe a sit-in today in front of Building 4 at Bangladesh Secretariat to press home their demand.
Co- chairman of Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees Unity Forum Md Nurul Islam made the announcement on Wednesday after handing over a memorandum to Social Welfare, Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid, demanding abolishment of the ordinance.
Earlier at around 11:00 am on the day, the government employees gathered at Badamtola in front of Building 6 of the Secretariat. They later marched to the new building of the Cabinet Division, staged a protest rally and took out a procession at the Secretariat.
After handing over the memorandum to the adviser, Md Nurul Islam said that everyone wants to repeal the Government Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. He said they wouldn't accept any kind of revision and addition to the ordinance. "We've heard that a committee led by the law adviser will recommend amendments to the ordinance, but we won't accept it."
He said that posters bearing employee's demands were torn at the Secretariat. He said they will identify the individuals behind it by seeing video footage from by closed-circuit cameras.
He alleged that a section of government bureaucrats loyal to the immediate past fascist Awami League government prepared the draft Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 aiming to land the interim government in quicksand. "We want to cooperate with the interim government. Is it possible for you to run the country by ignoring us?" he asked.
"We've already planned conventions in all eight divisions. Senior government officials have betrayed us in the name of dialogue. The bureaucrats supporting this fascist ordinance must be removed," said Mr Islam.
Nazrul Islam, another leader of the movement, said, "We are disciplined government workers. But if the ordinance is not withdrawn, we'll launch a large-scale movement from Sunday."
Earlier 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.
All unions representing government officers and staff at the Secretariat have been staging joint protests since May 24, calling for the abolishment of what they describe it as a "repressive and undemocratic ordinance".
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com
