Yunus-Led Government Deploys Paramilitary, SWAT Amid Widespread Unrest Over Service Law

On Tuesday, Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, deployed paramilitary forces at the secretariat as protests against the newly enacted Public Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, stretched into their fourth day. Security was visibly tightened around the secretariat complex—home to key ministries and government offices—with personnel from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the police’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit, and the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) stationed at all major entry points.

In response to the escalating tensions, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) imposed a ban on all rallies and public gatherings in and around the secretariat. Journalists and visitors were also barred from entering the premises, signaling a lockdown of the central administrative zone.

The unrest is unfolding amid growing national discontent over the delay in holding elections, with mounting calls for a return to an elected government after nine months of interim rule under Yunus. According to the Dhaka Tribune, the law and order situation has worsened under the current administration, further fueling the demand for democratic transition.

The protests have been driven primarily by government employees demanding the immediate repeal of the controversial ordinance. The new law allows authorities to dismiss employees for four categories of disciplinary violations based solely on a show-cause notice, bypassing formal departmental proceedings. Protesters have denounced the move as arbitrary and unconstitutional, branding it a "black law" and chanting slogans such as “The fire has been lit in our blood,” “Abolish the unlawful black law,” and “No compromise, only struggle.” All employee associations within the secretariat have pledged to sustain their protests until the law is revoked.

Meanwhile, paramilitary forces also maintained a close watch on a parallel demonstration led by July Mancha, a student-led group aligned with the interim government, which staged counter-protests against the striking employees.