Finance adviser confined by officials for 4 hours at Secretariat

Officials and employees from various ministries and departments staged a protest at the Bangladesh Secretariat today, demanding a 20 percent allowance for Secretariat staff.

According to witnesses, around 2:30 pm, 150-200 non-cadre staff gathered in front of the office of Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed at the Secretariat. During the demonstration, Salehuddin, who was in office, was confined by the protesters for about four hours.

By 5:30 pm, Gazi Touhidul Islam, Public Relations Officer of the Finance Ministry, told Prothom Alo that the adviser remained in his office while the demonstrators continued chanting slogans outside the Finance Division.

The protest was still going on around 6:30 pm, The Daily Star correspondent reported.

Talking to reporters, some officials said that they were protesting for allowance and urged the government to issue a gazette on the matter today.

They noted that the schedule for the national election will be announced tomorrow and expressed concern that their demand might not be met afterwards.

The officials added that they have long been demanding this allowance.

In March this year, the Bangladesh Government Workers' Demand Realisation Unity Council submitted an application to the Finance Ministry, stating that officials and employees working in the Secretariat perform government duties efficiently, often working beyond office hours and on holidays, yet do not receive any additional financial benefits such as rations or a Secretariat allowance.