Activities in the country鈥檚 administrative hub Bangladesh Secretariat remained almost suspended for the second day on Wednesday after student-led mass protests ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday.
A modest presence of officials and employees in different ministries and divisions passed the premises hours from the morning talk and speculations over the proposed interim government to be led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Most of them were seen leaving the capital after around 3 pm.
Demonstrations by the government officials and employees were held at the ministry of public administration in the secretariat against discriminations over payment, posts and positions and at the National Board of Revenue at Agargaon.
The public administration ministry officials and employees鈥� welfare association in a press release placed several demands including protection of one third of posts meant for non-cadre service officials in the secretariat, reintroduction of time scales and selection grades and reinstation of 100 per cent pension benefit.
A charter of demands was also submitted to the senior secretary Mohammed Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury of the public administration ministry.
However, the secretary was not present at the office.
Like Mohammed Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury, many secretaries including cabinet secretary Md Mahbub Hossain skipped office on this very day.
Speculation ran high among mid-ranking bureaucrats that changes in secretary posts of key ministries and divisions are imminent.
Changes in the secretary post of the key ministries are likely to take place with the appointment of advisers under the interim government.
On Wednesday, Bangladesh Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman in a press conference said the swearing-in ceremony of the interim government might be held at about 8:00pm on Thursday.
The public officials said the activities in the secretariat would start fully from next week.聽
Meanwhile, members of Ansars and VDP were deployed along with army men at the secretariat to maintain security.
On Tuesday, most of the government officials and employees on Tuesday left Bangladesh Secretariat in the early afternoon over security concerns because of absence of police at the secretariat.
