After being blocked for more than six hours, Financial Advisor Salehuddin Ahmed finally left the Secretariat under police protection. He was brought out by police at 8:12 pm on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, officials and employees of various ministries and departments took a stand in front of his office demanding a 20 percent secretariat allowance. With hand microphones in their hands and slogans on their lips, the protest continued right in front of the advisor’s door since afternoon.
As the situation heated up in the evening, a specialized police unit entered the secretariat. The protesters tried to disperse by blowing whistles, and at one point, a scuffle broke out between the police and the protesters.
The government has recently banned all unauthorized gatherings at the secretariat, and this ban is expected to be enforced more strictly since the election schedule was announced. Yet, protests continue regularly over various demands.