Retired officials protest at ministry, demand removal of 5 secretaries

A group of retired government officials staged a sit-in protest at the Ministry of Public Administration on Tuesday (May 13), demanding the immediate removal of five senior secretaries and the cancellation of their contractual appointments.

The demonstration, led by Dr. Md. Nasir Uddin, President of the Deprived Retired Officials (Additional Secretary) Forum, took place at the office of the Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration.

Nasir Uddin criticized the appointments, saying that officials who had secured contractual extensions under the previous government should be removed from their positions.

He accused the administration of retaining politically aligned officials, calling for their dismissal.

The protest was held in solidarity with the Anti-Discrimination Employees' Unity Forum, led by ABM Abdus Sattar.

Nasir Uddin alleged that certain officials had continued to exert influence over the administration, despite a change in government, and vowed to sustain the movement until their removal.

Earlier, the Anti-Discrimination Employees' Unity Forum identified five secretaries as beneficiaries of the former administration, declaring them undesirable.

The officials named include Water Resources Secretary Nazmul Ahsan, Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Md. Tofazzal Hossain, Agriculture Secretary Md. Emdad Ullah Mia, Cultural Affairs Secretary Mofidur Rahman, and Cabinet Division (Reforms and Coordination) Secretary Zaheda Parvin.

Protest leaders warned that they would escalate their demonstrations by encircling the offices of the named officials, in a bid to force their resignation.