For the fourth consecutive day, government employees gathered in protest at the Secretariat, demanding the repeal of a recently issued ordinance that amended the Public Service Act.
Around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, employees assembled near Building 6 at a spot known as Badamtola, where they began their demonstration.
By approximately 11:45 a.m., they moved from their initial location and began marching in protest through various sections of the Secretariat complex.
The demonstrators, who have been rallying for four straight days, called on fellow officials and workers who had not yet joined to participate in the movement.
Chanting slogans like "Unjust black laws will not be accepted," many were seen sitting, standing, and holding placards, while others used loudspeakers to voice their demands.
In response to the protest, visitor access to the Secretariat was restricted on Tuesday. Entry gates were placed under heightened security, and media personnel were also denied access.
The government had issued the new ordinance on Sunday night, introducing changes that allow for the dismissal of government employees for four types of offenses with only a notice, without formal trial or proceedings. In protest of this development, employees began their movement on Saturday.
Security at the Secretariat has since intensified. SWAT personnel have been stationed at the gates, and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members have been deployed inside.
Additional members of the Armed Forces Battalion, police, and Ansar are also on duty. Two armored personnel carriers (APCs) have been positioned outside the complex.
Meanwhile, across from Gate 2 of the Secretariat near the Osmani Memorial Auditorium, a group named “July Mancha” is holding a separate demonstration. T
heir campaign, titled “March to Uproot Fascism,” targets what they describe as corrupt and authoritarian bureaucrats within the Secretariat and the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
