The interim government on Tuesday assured protesting government employees at the secretariat that it would form a high-level committee led by an adviser to review the Government Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 and on the same day it announced increased special incentives for government employees.
Since May 24, the government employees under the banner of the Secretariat Officers-Employees Unity Forum have been protesting at the ordinance, terming it a 鈥榬epressive鈥� and 鈥榖lack鈥� law and demanding its withdrawal. They, however, kept their demonstration suspended on May 28.
On Tuesday, law adviser Asif Nazrul after receiving a memorandum from leaders of the Secretariat Officers-Employees Unity Forum at his ministry in the capital Dhaka told reporters that a high-level committee would be formed to review the ordinance.
Asif Nazrul, who was also one of the members of聽 the formulation committee of the ordinance, also acknowledged that certain provisions of the ordinance had the potential to be misused.
Meanwhile, the government in a gazette on Tuesday increased special incentives for the government employees to 10-15 per cent from the current rate of 5 per cent.
Officers and employees in the grades 10 to 20 will receive 15 per cent special incentive and those are in the grades 1 to 9 will get 10 per cent, according to the notification issued by the finance ministry a day after the unveiling of the proposed national budget for the 2025-26 financial year.聽聽
The finance adviser proposed the special incentive for public servants in his budget speech. The new rates will come into effect on July 1, said the notification.
The special incentive will be minimum Tk聽1,000 for the employees and minimum Tk聽500 for pensioners.
The increased rates of special incentive are likely to cost the government about Tk 7,000 crore, according to the gazette.
About the government employees鈥� concerns regarding the amended law, Asif Nazrul said that the government was aware of their concerns and was taking steps to address those.
鈥楾here are numerous objections regarding the ordinance from government employees. We are fully open to listening to their concerns.鈥�
鈥楢s far as I know, a high-level advisory committee will be formed. It will be tasked with listening to the objections thoroughly, considering them carefully, and making recommendations accordingly,鈥� he added.
The law adviser also said that he was in South Africa when the ordinance was approved at the advisory council.
The advisory council鈥檚 meeting that approved the draft of the ordinance on May 22 reportedly asked law adviser Asif Nazrul, who was then abroad, along with food adviser Ali Imam Majumder, environment adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, and public works adviser Adilur Rahman Khan to further scrutinise the approved draft before the promulgation of the ordinance.
However, the government on May 25 promulgated the ordinance in a gazette amid protests of the government employee against the ordinance at the secretariat.
Md Badiul Kabir, co-chairman of the Secretariat Officers-Employees Unity Forum, said that, 鈥榃e would announce a tougher movement on June 16 if the repressive and black law will not be repealed by June 15.鈥�
Earlier on the day, the protesting government employees held demonstrations in the secretariat to press their demands.
The Government Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 has introduced stricter disciplinary measures.
The ordinance has amended the Government Service Act 2018 by introducing a provision that lists activities considered 鈥榤isconduct鈥�.
The ordinance allows dismissal of public servants for 鈥榓dministrative disruptions鈥� within 14 days and without departmental proceedings.
Under the amendment, employees can now be dismissed with only a notice for four types of offences 鈥� disrupting discipline, obstructing duties, unauthorised absence, or inciting others not to carry out their duties.
Earlier, the protesting government employees had submitted memorandums to several other advisers to press their demands.
