Protests at Secretariat, a KPI area, raise serious security concerns

Despite the Bangladesh Secretariat being a designated Key Point Installation (KPI) area, ongoing protests by various groups are raising serious security concerns, according to multiple officials.

Located at the heart of the government’s administrative operations, the Secretariat has witnessed daily demonstrations by government and non-government employees demanding various rights and benefits. These protests have intensified following the formation of the interim government after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s administration.

Officials report that the protests have placed the Secretariat’s security at risk, as the normally secure area has become a hotbed for demonstrations. “We have never seen such incidents where protesters breach the Secretariat. This is alarming, especially since this area is a KPI. The law enforcement‍‍`s silence is concerning,” several officials told UNB.

The protests are largely driven by those who were denied promotions or benefits during the Awami League government, as well as temporary employees seeking permanent positions.

Since last week, the Secretariat’s main entrance has been the site of human chains, processions, and loud slogans.

Inside the Secretariat, both cadre and non-cadre officials who were passed over for promotions have been staging rallies and meetings. These protests have not been limited to the Secretariat alone; similar demonstrations are being reported at various other government offices, where employees are pressuring department heads for redress.

On Tuesday, hundreds of HSC and equivalent exam candidates stormed the Secretariat, demanding the cancellation of their remaining exams. Around 2 pm, they forced their way through the Zero Point gate, overcoming police resistance.

The students later gathered outside the office of the Secretary of Education, demanding an end to the exams. Following discussions, Dhaka Education Board Chairman Tapan Kumar Sarkar announced the cancellation of the exams. However, the students continued to blockade officials inside the Secretariat until a formal notification was issued.

“This is unprecedented,” one Secretariat official remarked. “We’ve never seen anything like this before. The Secretariat is supposed to be a secure area, yet protesters have breached it. This raises serious concerns about our security.”

Government officials who were denied promotions during the previous administration are also holding protests. After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, many BNP-Jamaat leaning officials have resurfaced, demanding overdue promotions. On August 6, around 200 officials held a meeting at the Secretariat, submitting lists of those awaiting promotions based on seniority to the Secretary’s office.

The Bangladesh Secretariat Anti-Discrimination Employee Association has also put forward a six-point demand to the interim government, including the promotion of all administrative and personal officers to the 9th grade, with the title of ‘Deputy Assistant Secretary.’ Other demands include the elevation of 11th-16th grade employees to the title of ‍‍`Additional Deputy Assistant Secretary‍‍` and 17th-20th grade employees to ‍‍`Secretarial Assistant.‍‍`

In response to these growing tensions, the interim government has already begun addressing promotion-related grievances, with ongoing efforts to promote officials to the ranks of Deputy Secretary and Joint Secretary. Work is also underway to elevate officials to the rank of Additional Secretary, according to sources in the Ministry of Public Administration.

Adding to the unrest, on Wednesday (August 21), officers and employees of the Election Commission Secretariat involved in the second phase of the Identification System for Enhancing Access to Services project plan to go on strike, demanding the transfer of the National ID (NID) system from the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Election Commission and the regularization of outsourced staff.

On Tuesday (August 20), these employees staged a protest in front of the Election Commission building, with their demands focused on these key issues.

Hasnat Abdullah, a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, commented on the chaotic situation, particularly the student protest at the Secretariat. “Such actions undermine the very essence of evaluation through exams.”

He called for calm, urging all parties to allow the interim government time to address the systemic issues that have developed over the past 16 years.

“There’s a proper process for making demands,” Abdullah emphasized. “First, there’s table talk, and then street talk. But if you go straight to street protests, it undermines the functioning of the state. We urge the interim government to identify and take legal action against those who seek to destabilize the country for their own gain.”