14 secretariat officials temporarily suspended over confinement of Finance Adviser

The government has temporarily suspended 14 non‑cadre officials and employees of the Bangladesh Secretariat for their involvement in a protest that saw Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed confined inside his office over demands for a 20 percent Secretariat allowance.

According to official notifications issued on Monday (December 15) by the concerned ministries and divisions, the 14 government staff were placed on suspension after a court accepted the charge sheet in the case.

The group had been arrested and sent to five days remand under the Anti‑Terrorism Act in connection with the incident, it added.

Among those suspended are Badiul Kabir, president of the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees Joint Council, vice presidents Shahin Golam Rabbani and Nazrul Islam, administrative officer of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Roman Gazi, office assistant of the Ministry of Health Abu Belal, office assistant of the Ministry of Public Administration Kamal Hossain, personal officer of the additional secretary of the Ministry of Health Md. Tayeful Islam, office assistant of the Ministry of Finance Bipul Rana Biplob, office assistant of the Ministry of Public Administration Md. Alimuzzaman, administrative officer of the Ministry of Health Bikash Chandra Roy, employees of the Ministry of Health Islamul Haque and Md. Mohsin Ali, office assistant of the Ministry of Information and publicity secretary of the Joint Council Mizanur Rahman Sumon, and office assistant of the Cabinet Division Nasirul Haque.

The protest took place on December 10 when non‑cadre staff, demanding the implementation of a Secretariat allowance, blocked the Finance Adviser’s office from 2:30pm to 8:00pm, chanting slogans and preventing him from leaving. Police eventually escorted him out of the Secretariat under security.

The suspension orders reflect the government’s response to the unprecedented action within the Secretariat — a sensitive administrative hub — that drew widespread attention and raised concerns over administrative discipline and security.