Dhaka, May 26 -- Government employees have launched a protest at the Secretariat in response to the issuance of an ordinance amending the Public Service Act.

They began marching in groups near Badamtola next to Building No. 6 around 11am on Monday to demonstrate against the ordinance enacted on Sunday with the president's approval.

Chanting slogans like "We reject this illegal black law", the protesters demanded the cancellation of the appointments of six contract-based secretaries at the Secretariat who they alleged were involved in pushing the ordinance through.

Nurul Islam, president of the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees Coordinated Council, and Mujahidul Islam Selim, its secretary general, called for the immediate ar...