Bangladesh's interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, deployed paramilitary forces at the secretariat on Tuesday as protests against a controversial new service law entered their fourth consecutive day.
According to PTI, personnel from Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the police's Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit, and the elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were stationed at key entry points to the secretariat complex, which houses various ministries and critical administrative offices.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) imposed a ban on rallies and public gatherings in and around the secretariat area. Journalists and visitors were also barred from entering the premises, tightening restrictions amid growing unrest.
The protests are unfolding against the backdrop of a broader movement demanding national elections, with frustration mounting over the nine-month tenure of the interim administration. Reports from the *Dhaka Tribune* suggest that law and order in the country have deteriorated since the interim government assumed power, intensifying calls for an elected leadership.
Why are government employees protesting?
The demonstrations centre on opposition to the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, issued by the President on Sunday. The ordinance permits the government to dismiss employees for four categories of disciplinary offences through a show-cause notice, bypassing formal departmental proceedings.
Protesting workers have condemned the ordinance as an "unlawful black law", and have rallied under slogans such as “The fire has been lit in our blood,” "Abolish the unlawful black law," “Employees reject this illegal law,” “We will not accept it,” “Unite 18 lakh workers,” and “No compromise, only struggle.”
All employee organisations based at the secretariat have vowed to continue their demonstrations until the ordinance is withdrawn.
Security has also been reinforced due to demonstrations by July Mancha, a student-led group allied with the interim government, which has launched counter-protests against the government employees. Authorities remain on high alert as tensions escalate in the capital.
