Dhaka, February 22 – Employees of the Bangladesh Outsourcing Employees Welfare Council have staged a protest by blocking the road in front of the National Press Club, demanding permanent employment.

The demonstration began at 3 PM on Saturday, causing severe traffic congestion in the Secretariat and surrounding areas. As a result, vehicles traveling through this route have been redirected toward Gulistan Zero Point via the Education Building near the Secretariat, increasing the pressure on alternative roads.
Despite repeated requests from law enforcement, the protesters have continued to block the road. Petrol Inspector Sardar Bulbul Ahmed of Shahbagh Police Station, Ramna Zone, arrived at the scene and urged the demonstrators to clear the road using a microphone. “Please leave the road. You are causing public suffering. Traffic has come to a standstill. If you do not comply, we will be forced to take action,” he stated.
However, the demonstrators remained steadfast in their demands. “We will not leave until our demands are met. If necessary, we are prepared to sacrifice our lives, but we will not return home without securing our rights,” they declared.
Hundreds of outsourcing employees from various parts of the country have gathered for this sit-in protest. Earlier in the day, thousands of officials and employees working under outsourcing contracts in both government and private organizations assembled at the Central Shaheed Minar for a peaceful rally. Their demands include the abolition of the contractor-based employment system and the regularization of all outsourced workers in their respective organizations.
The situation remains tense as the protest continues, with authorities closely monitoring developments.