Bangladesh crisis deepens as bureaucracy boils over: SWAT deployed as civil servants revolt | Top updates

Civil officials protest inside the Secretariat building in Dhaka on May 25, 2025, demanding the repeal of a government order giving it greater power to sack employees for disciplinary breaches.

The growing civil unrest in Bangladesh has entered a new phase. For the fourth straight day, government employees have crippled administrative functions at the heart of Dhaka, demanding the repeal of the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 that allows for their dismissal without due process. The protest was called off at the secretariat after the government assured them it would review the contentious law, reported Daily Sun.

As elite SWAT teams and Border Guards stand watch outside the Secretariat, the protests reflect not just resistance to a controversial law, but a brewing revolt against the authority of the Yunus-led interim regime. What began as a bureaucratic standoff is now fast becoming the latest flashpoint in a country already grappling with political chaos, public anger, and an unelected government facing legitimacy questions.

The Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 amends the Public Service Act of 2018, introducing provisions that classify four types of conduct by government employees as misconduct, allowing for their dismissal without formal departmental proceedings. The government has stated that these amendments aim to streamline disciplinary actions and reduce bureaucratic delays.

According to media reports, employees of various ministries and offices have been staging sit-ins and protest marches under a banner called Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees Coordination Council inside the secretariat compound, protesting the promulgation and enforcement of the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.

They have labelled the ordinance as "repressive" and a "black law", and argue that the new provisions infringe upon their constitutional rights. The protesting employees have vowed to continue their protests until the ordinance is repealed.

In response to the escalating protests, the government has initiated dialogues with the protesting employees. On May 27, 2025, government representatives met with leaders of various organizations representing the officers and employees at the Secretariat to discuss the demands and seek a resolution.

Earlier this afternoon, the demonstration was called off following an assurance from the government to review the controversial law.

The unrest among civil servants adds to the existing political instability in Bangladesh. The interim government, which came to power following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, is navigating a complex political landscape marked by demands for electoral reforms and the restoration of democratic processes. The suspension of the Awami League's registration and the banning of its activities have further intensified political tensions.

The army on Monday came up with a clarification amid reports of discord between the civil and military leadership over the possible timeline for holding the elections and other policy issues related to security affairs, particularly involving a proposed humanitarian corridor to Myanmar’s rebel-held Rakhine state.

Bangladesh Army's operations director Brigadier General M Nazim-ud-Daula said the military was not at odds with the interim government but was determined to play its role in safeguarding the country's independence and sovereignty.

"We (the government and army) are working to help each other. There is no scope to misinterpret it,” he told reporters.

He, however, added that there would be “no compromise when it comes to the country’s independence, security and sovereignty”.

Daula added: “The issue involving the corridor is highly sensitive. For the army, national interest comes first”.

Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman along with the Navy and Air Force chiefs met Yunus last week and reportedly reiterated their call for election by December this year to allow an elected government to take charge. They also conveyed their reservation about the corridor issue.

The next day, Gen Zaman held a senior officers meeting at Dhaka Cantonment and said he was unaware of the government's several strategic decisions despite the military’s active role.

The military also decided to be tough against rampant incidents of “mob justice”.

“Bangladesh needs political stability. This is only possible through an elected government, not by unelected decision-makers,” the Daily Star newspaper quoted Zaman as saying during an “officers' address” in which he delivered a 30-minute speech, followed by more than an hour of questions and answers.

According to reports, the army chief also voiced concern about making other decisions without an electoral mandate - including the potential foreign management of Chattogram Port, Bangladesh’s main seaport, and the launch of Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet service - which he said could compromise national security.

A sense of unease has intensified in Bangladesh for the past few days amid protests in the civil administration and business sector over the policies of the Yunus-led interim government.