Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit members are stationed in front of the Secretariat in the capital on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, as Secretariat representatives urge more demonstrations against a government ordinance that amends the Public Service Act, 2018. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain
In response to mounting protests against a controversial public service ordinance, the government has taken extensive security measures in and around the Bangladesh Secretariat today to prevent further demonstrations by public employees demanding the repeal of the law.
The ordinance, which critics say allows for easier dismissal of government employees on grounds of misconduct, has triggered widespread unrest among Secretariat staff. Despite tight security, protest leaders insist that their movement will continue as planned.
Massive Security Presence
A high-alert security operation was launched early this morning. Army personnel have been stationed around the Secretariat’s perimeter, while units of SWAT and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have also been deployed to reinforce control.
Additional forces from the Armed Police Battalion, regular police, and Ansar have been stationed at key points surrounding the administrative complex. Two armored personnel carriers (APCs) were also spotted outside the Secretariat, signaling the authorities’ readiness to respond to any escalation.
Restricted Access and Media Blackout
As a precautionary step, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced yesterday (26 May) that visitor entry to the Secretariat would be suspended for today. The lockdown was expanded this morning to include journalists, who were barred from entering the premises. Security officials confirmed that access will remain restricted until further notice from higher authorities.
Read more: Saudi Arabia Denies Reports of Alcohol Sales Starting in 2026
Protests Set to Continue
Md Badiul Kabir, President of the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees United Council, confirmed to The Business Standard that protests will go ahead despite the intensified security measures. Kabir, who also co-chairs the newly-formed Bangladesh Secretariat Officers-Employees Unity Forum, emphasized that all staff organizations are now united under a single platform to continue the movement.
“The protest will continue as planned. We are determined to resist this ordinance which undermines job security and violates the rights of public servants,” he said.
Civil Sit-In by Activist Group Near Secretariat
While employees prepare to escalate their demonstration, a parallel protest is underway just outside Gate No. 1 of the Secretariat. A group called July Mancha (July Platform) has begun a sit-in campaign under the slogan “Journey to Overthrow Fascism.”
Around 10 activists gathered near the wall of the Osmani Memorial Auditorium, using two microphones mounted on a rickshaw to chant slogans and deliver impassioned speeches. Some of the slogans heard included:
-
“Fascist bureaucrats, beware!”
-
“Overthrow fascism!”
-
“Arrest every bureaucrat, rush them to jail!”
-
“Abu Sayeed, Mugdho, the war is not over.”
While the group remains small, its symbolic presence adds another layer to the growing unrest over the new ordinance.
Background on the Controversial Ordinance
The public service ordinance at the heart of the protests introduces provisions that allow for the easier termination of government employees accused of misconduct. Employee groups argue that this opens the door to political misuse and undermines job security, creating an atmosphere of fear among public servants.
Although the government has yet to respond publicly to the growing discontent, calls for a repeal are intensifying, and labor unions have hinted at broader nationwide actions if the law is not withdrawn.
