Police blocks July Oikya’s ‘March to the Secretariat’

Tension escalated in front of the secretariat around noon on Tuesday as police and the July Oikya delegation faced a standoff.

The alliance, formed by the groups that led the July uprising, organized a “March to the Secretariat” programme demanding the removal of 44 government officials — whom they refer to as cohorts of Sheikh Hasina — still holding positions in various ministries and public offices despite the deadline having passed.

Earlier in the day, at around 11:30 am, the July Oikya alliance began marching towards the secretariat from the Raju Memorial Sculpture on the Dhaka University campus, accompanied by students and citizens.

The programme was previously announced in a press release sent to the media on Monday by one of the alliance’s key organisers, Israfil Farabi.

The press release from July Oikya stated that on May 20, at a press conference held at the National Press Club, they had published a list of 44 bureaucrats serving in the secretariat and other government offices, labeling them as associates of autocracy. An ultimatum was given to the interim government to remove these officials by May 31. However, according to the alliance, no visible action has been taken so far.

The statement further added that in recent days, officials within the secretariat have been actively protesting against legal reforms intended for systemic changes — an action the alliance sees as directly opposed to the spirit of the July movement.