Officials and employees block financial advisor demanding 20% ​​secretariat allowance

Staff Correspondent

Officials and employees of the ministry and department have been protesting since Wednesday afternoon demanding the introduction of a 20 percent ‘secretariat allowance’ for all officials and employees working in the secretariat. As part of the protest, they have blocked Finance Ministry Advisor Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed in his office.

Speaking to eyewitnesses and protesters, it was learned that hundreds of officials and employees gathered in front of Building No. 7 of the Ministry of Finance and started chanting slogans since 2:30 pm. At one stage, they entered the building and took up positions in front of the advisor’s office and blocked the door from outside. Until 5 pm (at the time of writing), the advisor remained inside the office and the protesters were stationed outside.

The main demands of the protesters:

• Everyone working in the secretariat (from secretaries to office assistants) should be given a secretariat allowance at the rate of 20 percent of their salary.
• This allowance should be effective immediately from the current month.
• They believe that this is a long-standing and just demand, even though there was no prior notification.

Md. Jahangir Hossain, convener of the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers-Employees Oikya Parishad, said, “Those who work in field administration outside Dhaka have special allowances, but those who work day and night in the secretariat to formulate policies have no recognition. We are peacefully demanding. We will not move until the advisor provides a solution.”

Another joint secretary (who did not wish to be named) said that the demands had been raised several times before but no solution had been found. This time, everyone has united.

No official statement has been received from Finance Advisor Dr. Salehuddin yet. However, sources in his office said that he is meeting with the protesting representatives and has assured to present the matter to the higher levels of the government.

The entrances of several ministries in the Secretariat have been locked since the afternoon. The officials and employees said that if their demands are not met, they will launch a strict program including a full-day work stoppage from tomorrow. Following this incident, strict security measures have been taken at the Secretariat. Police and Ansar members are deployed at the main gate of the building.