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Government employees on Thursday announced a two-day fresh programme for Sunday and Monday to press for repeal of the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.
They will hand over memorandums to three advisers-Ali Imam Majumder, Muhammad Fouzal Kabir Khan and Syeda Rizwana Hasan, on Sunday and adviser Mahfuz Alam and adviser Asif Mahmud Sojib Bhuiyan on Monday.
Co-chairman of Bangladesh Secretariat Unity Forum Md Nurul Islam made the announcement at a press conference at the central library of the Secretariat after observing a one-hour work stoppage on Thursday.
"We won't wait for an indefinite period of time. We only have four days in our hands before the upcoming Eid ul-Adha. We've heard that Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus will return to the country on Saturday. And obviously, we are expecting to hear good news. We wouldn't shy away from our movement.
"We hope that the cabinet secretary, public administration and other secretaries would provide us with a positive result after consultation with the chief adviser once he comes back," he said.
He further stated that memorandums would be submitted to the heads of government organisations or entities from the grassroots level. "If we get a positive result by Sunday, we'll withdraw all our programmes," he said.
Government employees started their demonstration on May 24 after the advisory council approved the draft ordinance on May 22. They continued their programmes until Tuesday, terming the ordinance a black and repressive law.
On the day, leaders of the employees held a meeting with Senior Land Secretary A S M Saleh Ahmed. The meeting decided that secretaries of different ministries would convey their demand to the cabinet secretary on Wednesday.
The senior land secretary engaged in a meeting with the cabinet secretary. After the meeting, the senior land secretary told the media that cabinet secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid will inform the chief adviser of their demand.
On Wednesday, the demonstrating leaders declared that they would observe a one-hour work stoppage from Thursday. As per the announcement, they abstained from work throughout the country from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.
Employees of different ministries assembled in designated areas and observed the protest.
"We gathered in the library of the Ministry of Public Administration and also visited other ministries," Md Badiul Kabir, co-chairman of the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees Unity Forum told the media.
The draft of the 'Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025', a revision of the 'Public Service Act, 2018', was approved during an advisory council meeting of the interim government last week. Later, ordinance was issued by the President on Sunday evening.
The employees have alleged that the ordinance includes certain 'repressive provisions' from a special regulation introduced four and a half decades ago. The ordinance conflicts with the constitution, they said.
The Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance allows the government to terminate employees for four types of disciplinary violations without initiating departmental proceedings-merely by issuing a show-cause notice.
The four offenses that constitute misconduct are: inciting disobedience or disrupting discipline among employees; being absent or neglecting duties without leave or valid reason, whether individually or collectively; encouraging others to skip work or shirk responsibilities; and obstructing colleagues from performing their duties.
Offenders face penalties ranging from demotion to a lower rank or pay grade to outright removal or dismissal from service.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com