Govt suspends 14 secretariat employees over allowance protests

The government has suspended 14 employees from various ministries and divisions following protests at the Bangladesh Secretariat demanding a special allowance.

The action comes after a court accepted the chargesheet in a case filed against the employees.

Different ministries and divisions issued notifications in this regard on Monday.

On 10 December, officials and employees staged protests in several offices of the Bangladesh Secretariat, demanding a secretariat allowance.

During the protest, led by a section of the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees Joint Council, financial adviser Salehuddin Ahmed was confined to a secretariat office for around six hours.

Some employees leading the demonstrations were detained.

Subsequently, a case was filed against them under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009 and they were formally shown as arrested.

The employees are currently on remand in connection with the case.

Among those suspended are Badiul Kabir, president of Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees Sangjukta Parishad, vice-president Shahin Golam Rabbani and Nazrul Islam.

Other suspended employees include Md Tayeful Islam, Bikash Chandra Roy, Islamul Haque, Md Mohsin Ali, Roman Gazi, and Abu Belal of the Ministry of Health; Mizanur Rahman Sumon of the Ministry of Information; Kamal Hossain and Mohammad Alimuzzaman of the Ministry of Public Administration; Bipul Rana Biplob of the Ministry of Finance; and Nasirul Haque of the Cabinet Division.