Employees protest over amended public service ordinance at Secretariat

A group of government officials and employees under the banner of Bangladesh Secretariat Officers-Employees Sangjukti Parishad organised a protest at the secretariat on Saturday against the approval of the draft of the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.

The officials demanded its withdrawal terming the proposed ordinance ‘repressive and draconian’.

Earlier, the Advisory Council of the interim government approved the draft of the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 on Thursday.

Allegations have surfaced that the draft ordinance includes some ‘repressive provisions’ from a special regulation enacted four and a half decades ago. Government officials and employees alleged that a scope has been created to easily punish them, or even dismiss them from service.

Protesting employees termed the draft ordinance contradictory to the constitution and demanded its reconsideration.

Parishad president Md Badiul Kabir told Prothom Alo that all codes of conduct and related provisions are already outlined in the Government Service Act, 2018. Now, repressive clauses are being added through this ordinance, which is a draconian law. They demanded its immediate withdrawal.