United News of Bangladesh

Tension flared up near Jamuna, the official residence of the Chief Adviser, on Friday as protesters staged demonstrations, demanding the immediate implementation of the 9th national pay scale. Mohammad Moniruzzaman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Shahbagh Police Station, said a protest procession of government employees reached Shahbagh intersection around 11:00 am after starting from Shaheed Minar. “When the procession advanced towards Jamuna and reached Hotel InterContinental crossing, police attempted to stop it. As the protesters crossed the barricades and gathered near Jamuna, police used teargas  shells and water cannons around 12:00 noon to bring the situation under control,” he added. Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner SM Sajjat Ali visited the area to monitor the situation and ensure there were no untoward incidents. Protesters chanted slogans pressing their demands during the demonstration. One female protester said they had gathered solely to press for the pay scale revision and had no other intentions. Another protester, who was detained by police, said he was the only earning member of his family and could no longer support them on his current salary, which was why he had joined the protest. The protesting government employees said that despite repeated assurances, the government has yet to publish the gazette of the 9th pay scale.  They warned that if the gazette is not issued within the day, they will continue their movement and refuse to return home. Meanwhile, six platoons of BGB troops have been deployed near Kakrail Mosque, Hotel InterContinental areas to safeguard Jamuna.

Government employees on Wednesday warned of fresh protests on Thursday if the authorities fail to take steps to repeal the recently enacted Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. Leaders of the movement said on Wednesday that the demonstrations will continue until the ordinance is completely revoked. Nurul Islam, co-chairman of the Secretariat Officers and Employees Unity Forum, said, “We have already planned conventions in all eight divisions. Senior government officials have betrayed our trust in the name of dialogue. We demand a 50 percent dearness allowance. Those bureaucrats supporting this fascist ordinance must be removed.” Forum president Badiul Kabir echoed the demand, affirming that the protest would persist until the ordinance is scrapped in its entirety. Demand to repeal govt service ordinance: Employees resume protest at Secretariat Protesters staged demonstrations in front of Building No. 6 of the Secretariat on Wednesday, reiterating their opposition to the ordinance. Nazrul Islam, another leader of the movement, said, “We are disciplined government workers. But if the ordinance is not withdrawn, we will launch a larger movement on Sunday.” The government promulgated the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 on May 25, introducing a provision that allows the termination of public servants—without departmental proceedings—in four specific disciplinary cases, requiring only a show-cause notice. The draft of the ordinance was approved during the Advisory Council meeting on May 22. Since May 24, all unions representing government officers and staff at the Secretariat have been staging joint protests, calling for the repeal of what they describe as a “repressive and undemocratic ordinance.”