Tensions Escalate In Bangladesh As Paramilitary Deployed Amid Protests Over Controversial Service Law

Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, deployed paramilitary forces at the Secretariat on May 27 as protests over a controversial public service law entered their fourth consecutive day, raising fears of wider unrest in the capital, PTI reported.

The deployment includes Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the police’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit, and the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), who were stationed at key entrances to the Secretariat complex, which houses ministries and critical government offices, according to reports from news agency PTI.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has imposed a strict ban on rallies and public gatherings in and around the Secretariat, PTI reported. Journalists and visitors have been barred from entering the administrative compound as authorities attempt to prevent the unrest from spreading.

The protests are being led by government employees demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. The ordinance, signed by the President on Sunday, allows the government to dismiss employees for four types of disciplinary violations through a simple show-cause notice, bypassing formal departmental inquiries.

Protesters have described the ordinance as a “black law” and an assault on workers’ rights. Demonstrators were seen chanting slogans such as “The fire has been lit in our blood,” “Abolish the unlawful black law,” and “No compromise, only struggle.”

“All employee organisations at the Secretariat are united,” said one protest leader. “We will not stop until this law is repealed.”

The unrest comes against the backdrop of growing national discontent with the interim government, which has ruled for nine months amid demands for fresh elections. Critics argue that under the Yunus administration, the country’s law and order situation has worsened, and the absence of a democratically elected government is fueling instability.

Adding to the volatile situation, members of July Mancha—a student organization allied with the interim government—have held counter-protests, prompting a heightened security alert across government zones.

With both sides refusing to back down, tensions in Dhaka remain high. Observers warn that unless the government engages with the protesters and addresses broader political demands, the unrest could further destabilize the already fragile interim administration.