Secretariat staff face food crisis as clash between rival groups leaves canteens shut

Two major canteens and nearby stalls inside the Secretariat have remained closed for over 10 days following a violent clash between rival factions of the employees' union, leaving thousands of government workers without access to food or tea.

The trouble began on Jun 25, when members of the Secretariat Officers-Employees Joint Council's Nurul Islam and Badiul Kabir-led factions clashed over control of canteen operations.

Several union leaders were injured and hospitalised after the brawl.

Since then, canteens in the tin-shed area on the northern side have remained shut. No one has yet stepped in to restore operations or clarify how these establishments were allocated in the first place.

Staff sources say the stalls have long been run by leaders of the Secretariat Multipurpose Cooperative Society, though no formal allocation records exist.

Officials from both the Public Works Department (PWD) and its Engineering Division deny authorising any such use of Secretariat space.

PWD Housing Directorate’s newly-posted Director Asaduzzaman said he did not know the allocations.

Executive Engineer Md Abdus Sattar added that his office is only responsible for maintenance, not leasing or assigning canteen spaces.

Union leader Badiul said while the cooperative was granted use of the space over 20 years ago, the process lacks transparency.

He accused rivals of forming a new committee by force and seizing control without consent. “They’re thinking more about their pockets than the welfare of workers,” he said.

Kabir claimed his faction was willing to hold elections peacefully when their tenure ends in eight months, but the opposing group moved unilaterally. Talks are under way with top officials, including the home secretary, though no breakthrough has occurred.

Mozahedul Islam Selim, general secretary of the Nurul-led faction, denied the claims, saying: “They’ve been eating from the same committee for years. Now that a new one’s formed, they can’t accept it and attacked us instead.”

A mediation meeting has been proposed, but the deadlock continues, leaving thousands of Secretariat staff without daily meals and refreshments.