Government employees from different ministries and divisions at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday observed a two-hour strike demanding the repeal of the ‘Government Service (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 that introduced stricter disciplinary measures along with a provision that lists activities considered ‘misconduct’.
The officials and employees of the National Board of Revenue on the day resumed a sit-in and pen-down programme at the NBR headquarters in the capital demanding logical reforms in the NBR.
The government officials and employees held the protests at the two key offices defying bans imposed by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
The government employees under the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees Unity Forum refrained from work from 11:00am to 1:00pm at the secretariat as part of their protest programme.
The protesters gathered at the Secretariat Central Library in the public administration ministry where they demanded the immediate withdrawal of the ordinance.
The forum’s co-chairman Md Badiul Kabir announced that they would run a campaign with professional bodies and office-based service associations across the country on Tuesday and Wednesday in favour of their demands.
After the two-hour strike, a three-member delegation from the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers-Employees Unity Forum held a meeting with the government-formed committee led by law adviser Asif Nazrul at 4:00pm.
During the discussion, the delegation pointed out that some provisions of the ordinance were against government employees.
These provisions include the power to dismiss employees for ‘disobedience’, absence from work, or incitement.
They also warned that the ordinance could lead to abuse of power, curb employee rights, and particularly endanger female employees due to potential misuse by unscrupulous superiors at office.
The delegation urged the committee to withdraw the ordinance immediately.
The government employees have been protesting against the ordinance since May 24, terming it a ‘repressive’ and ‘black’ law, and demanding its withdrawal.
The advisory council of the interim government approved the draft of the ordinance on May 22 and the government promulgated the ordinance in a gazette on May 25.
The officials and employees of the NBR, under the banner of the NBR Reform Unity Council, resumed their sit-in and pen-down programme on Monday at the NBR headquarters, amid the DMP ban on all kinds of gatherings, rallies, and demonstrations from Shishu Mela to the NBR office and its surrounding areas in Agargaon.
NBR officials also announced that they would continue the protests for the next few days if their demands were not met.
They said that they would continue their protests at all NBR offices across the country between 9:00am and 2:00pm from Tuesday if the NBR chairman was not removed by Monday.
They said that their protest programme would continue between 12:00pm and 5:00pm on June 25 and June 26 if their demand remained unfulfilled.
The officials said that international passenger and export services would remain out of their demonstration purview.
They also demanded the revocation of all transfer orders, which they termed ‘vengeful transfers and repression’.
The protesting officials also demanded the dismissal of the committee formed by the government to amend the new tax reform ordinance and form a new committee with logical participation from the unity council.
They also said that they would go on a complete shutdown at all offices of the tax, customs, and VAT across the country from June 28 if their demands were not met by Jun 28.
The NBR officials formed the platform after the interim government on May 12 promulgated the ‘Revenue Policy and Revenue Management Ordinance’ by dissolving the revenue board and splitting it into two divisions under the finance ministry to modernise the tax administration and boost revenue collection.
The splitting resulted in strong resistance among NBR officials that disrupted business operations and revenue collections.
Amid continued protests, the finance ministry issued a statement on May 25, stating that it would amend the ordinance restructuring the NBR to strengthen the revenue board and separate revenue policy formulation activities by July 31.
