The government is set to hold talks with protesting public sector employees demanding the withdrawal of the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, on Tuesday.


At the same time, a 13-member committee is being formed to review the ordinance and address the ongoing crisis.


According to officials from the Ministry of Public Administration and the Cabinet Division, the committee will include seven senior secretaries, including Sheikh Abu Taher, secretary of the Law and Justice Division. Protest representatives will also be part of the committee.

Secretariat employees have been demonstrating since Saturday, demanding that the ordinance be scrapped.

On Tuesday, the fourth consecutive day of protests, demonstrations continued inside the Secretariat under heavy security.

Sources said that protest leaders, including Md Badiul Kabir, president of the Bangladesh Secretariat Joint Officers and Employees Unity Council, and Co-Chairman Muhammad Nurul Islam, are currently in a meeting with the land secretary.

The meeting, which started at 2:30pm at the Cabinet Division, would include members of the newly formed committee.

Earlier in the day, Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid held an emergency meeting with several secretaries, where the decision to form the review committee was finalized.

Protesters say their next course of action depends on the outcome of Tuesday’s meeting. However, they have announced that the protest will continue on Wednesday as planned.

“We have been called to a meeting by the land secretary. Whether we continue the protest or go for a full work stoppage depends on what’s discussed,” said Nurul Islam, who leads one faction of the Coordinated Council.


Md Badiul Kabir, president of the council’s other faction, added: “We’ve been told that seven other secretaries will also attend the meeting. If the talks are fruitful, we’ll consider withdrawing our protest.”

Around 10:30am on Tuesday, all employee groups joined in a coordinated demonstration inside the Secretariat, chanting slogans and demanding the repeal of the ordinance.

The Secretariat was closed to visitors. While there was no official restriction on journalists, none were allowed entry until 1:30pm.

Md Nurul Islam, president of the Secretariat Officers-Employees Sanyukta Parishad, said: “We began our protest as announced. But with no journalists allowed inside, we repeatedly requested access for the media, which was ignored. Employees from every ministry joined today’s (Tuesday's) protest. Our demand is simple — withdraw this black ordinance. We want to return to work, but not until it is repealed.”

Employees outside the Secretariat have also expressed solidarity. One protester said: “We’ve warned that this law could be misused by corrupt officials. It won’t benefit the government or ordinary staff. Even now, we’re being threatened and warned not to leave our offices. But no one could hold us back today. If our demand is not met, the movement will intensify.”

Protesters also mentioned hearing that a seven-member committee led by the land secretary has been formed to negotiate, but said they had yet to receive any official communication.

Law enforcement presence at the Secretariat was significantly increased. Around 10am, members of the SWAT team were seen positioned at the main gate. BGB and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) forces were also deployed around the area.

By 11am, Secretariat employees resumed their pre-scheduled protest program for the fourth consecutive day. At 12:15pm, large crowds of employees were seen marching in front of the new buildings of the Cabinet Division and the Ministry of Public Administration.

Protest leaders have announced that all employee groups under the banner of the Bangladesh Secretariat Officer-Employee Unity Forum will continue the movement in the coming days.