Government employees continued their protests for the fourth straight day on Tuesday, demanding the repeal of the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance-2025, bringing administrative activities at the Secretariat to a halt as visitors were barred from entering.
The protest began around 11:00 am near Building No-6 in the Badamtoli area of the Secretariat amid the tightened security at all entrances.
Journalists were also barred from entering the premises. The protest continued as of filing this report till 12:10 pm.
The protesters, who are calling the ordinance a ‘black law,’ continue to chant slogans rejecting its legitimacy.
They urged co-workers who have not yet joined the movement to take part in the demonstration.
The protestors marched with slogans such as ‘The fire has been lit in our blood,’ ‘Abolish the unlawful black law,’ ‘Employees reject this illegal law,’ ‘We will not accept it,’ ‘Unite 18 lakh workers,’ and ‘No compromise, only struggle.’
On Monday, the Public Security Division of the Home Ministry restricted all types of visitor entry to the Secretariat for Tuesday.
Besides, 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.
Following the approval of the draft law by the Council of Advisers on 22 May, Secretariat employees began staging protests, calling the law unjust and unconstitutional.
On Sunday, all employee organisations at the Secretariat vowed to continue their movement until the law is withdrawn.
