Secretariat officials confine finance adviser demanding 20pc allowance
Staff Reporter :
Officials and employees from various ministries stationed at the Secretariat confined Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed to his office on Wednesday, pressing for the introduction of a 20pc Secretariat allowance.
For over five hours, the adviser remained unable to leave his office.
The protest began around 2:30pm.
Witnesses said several hundred non-cadre officials and staff members gathered on the third floor of the finance ministry, where the adviser’s office is located.
Approximately 300-400 employees were seen chanting slogans through handheld megaphones, blocking access in and out of the office.
A personal officer to a secretary told meida that the agitation seeks equal treatment for Secretariat staff.
“All officials and employees working at the Secretariat are demanding a 20% Secretariat allowance.
Staff in many other government offices enjoy various allowances beyond the basic pay scale, but we do not,” he said.
By 5pm, another group of employees had assembled on the fourth floor of Building 11 inside the Secretariat.
Standing on the connecting staircase, a protester used a microphone to urge all employees to join the movement.
Staff from other Secretariat buildings were seen moving toward the protest site in response to the call.
Meanwhile, those positioned outside the adviser’s office continued chanting, “Amader dabi mante hobe” (Our demands must be met).
Additional police personnel were deployed around Building 11 as the situation persisted.
At 4pm, demonstrators were still outside the office, shouting slogans in support of their demand for the allowance.
This is not the first time Secretariat staff have taken such measures. On an earlier occasion, they also confined the finance adviser while demanding the reinstatement of the rationing system for government employees.
At that time, the adviser met with the protesters and assured them their demands would be reviewed.
According to Secretariat officials, the government had previously announced a dearness allowance for public servants, but it was never implemented.
They added that although a new pay commission has been formed, the finance adviser has already stated the current government will not execute its recommendations.