‘March to Secretariat’ on Tuesday for removal of 44 listed secretaries

The pro-Jamaat platform July Oikyo (July Unity) will hold the prescheduled “March to Secretariat” at 11:30qm on Tuesday to materialise their demand for the removal of the 44 secretaries labeled as collaborators of the Awami League.

The declaration of the demonstration aims to prevent the ongoing movement of officers and employees against service rules.

Last week, two top leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) of the chief adviser threatened the Secretariat officials with dire consequences. The duo are Hasnat Abdullah and Abdul Hannan Masud.

July Oikyo is a platform of students and political groups supporting the Yunus-led government. Earlier, they waged some radical movements and violent attacks on people and establishments labeled as pro-Awami League entities.

In a statement issued on June 2, July Oikyo said that they had published a list of 44 bureaucrats in various government institutions, including the Secretariat, who are friends of the previous Awami League government, from a press conference on May 20.

They also issued an ultimatum to the interim government until May 31, demanding action against the officials.

The statement, signed by coordinator Esrafil Farazi, said that the officials and employees are protesting against the amendments to the law intended for reform, which is contradictory to the July Spirit. “July Unity believes that the Indian agenda is behind the plan they have taken to disrupt the Secretariat and create a civil coup after the 2024 revolution.”

On May 26, another coordinator, Musaddiq Ali Ibne Mohammad, said that the listed officials are one of the biggest obstacles in the reform process. “Many of them are accused of working as proxies of neighbouring countries to destabilise the country. They must be removed and brought to justice after a thorough investigation.”

Some of the allies of the July Unity who attended the May 20 press conference are Plabon Tarek, convener of Ekotar Bangladesh Platform, Abdullah Al Minhaj, central leader of United People’s Bangladesh (UP Bangladesh), Syed Gaziur Rahman, father of martyred Muntasir Rahman, Syed Ahmed Sarkar, convener of the Independence Sovereignty Protection Committee, Fuad Zaman, convener of the Justice for All Platform, Shahidul Haque, convener of the 36 July Parishad, and Abdullah Al Sa’d, representative of the National Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh (PUNAB).

Government officials and employees have been protesting at the Secretariat for the past few days, demanding the repeal of four sections of the Government Service Ordinance, 2025.

They have called the approved ordinance “regressive and outdated” and demanded its immediate repeal.

The protesters claim that instead of filing a departmental case for breach of discipline, four sections, including dismissal, have been added to the new ordinance, including a show-cause notice. They also said that the new ordinance has created opportunities for easy punishment and even dismissal from service.

The Advisory Council, led by Muhammad Yunus, approved the draft on May 22. The ordinance was issued in a gazette on May 25.

Amid protests, NCP Chief Organiser (South) Hasnat Abdullah on May 26 warned the protesters, saying that the people are watching everything.

Hasnat Abdullah wrote, “Be aware of the Secretariat coup, known as the cantonment for prolonging public suffering and fascism. If the Secretariat officials, who attended office wearing black badges and supporting Hasina until August 5, continue their coup, their fate will be like the fallen Hasina’s.”

On the other hand, NCP Senior Joint Chief Coordinator Abdul Hannan Masud asked the interim government to take action against the protesting employees.

In a post on his verified Facebook page on the same day, he wrote: “The government should immediately remove all these corrupt people and take action through an impartial commission to investigate.”

Masud also wrote that those who are striking at the Secretariat, NBR, or the port are demanding freedom from corruption and looting.

“You are the accomplices of every disappearance, murder, corruption, and money laundering during Sheikh Hasina’s entire regime. Don’t think you have gotten away with it. I repeat, there is no chance of getting away with it.”