Finance minister wanted to cut number of government allowances

Finance Minister AMA Muhith has said the number of allowances given to the government employees could not be reduced even after taking certain initiatives in this regard.

“I wanted to reduce the number of allowances provided to the government and semi-government officials and employees,” he said at a programme in the Secretariat on Thursday.
 
“We have too many allowances… These have become something like rights, and cannot be changed.”
 
He wanted to withdraw allowances other than those for housing, transport, refreshment and medical purposes, he said.
 
At the meeting with public university teachers, Muhith said, the number of government employees was actually 1.8 to 2 million.
 
He reiterated the withdrawal of pay commission for public servants.
 
“I personally want to abolish pay commission. A permanent body should be formed later to look into these matters.”
 
The government is likely to implement the 8th Pay Commission recommended scale from July 1.
 
A secretary-level committee proposed the highest pay to be Tk 75,000 and the lowest Tk 8,250 based on the Commission’s recommendations.
 
After scrutiny, the finance ministry would table the report to the Cabinet.
 
“After consideration of the Cabinet the report will be discussed with the prime minister,” Muhith said referring to the Pay Commission and the secretary-level committee’s reports.
 
“Pay Commission’s report will be finalised by next month,” he said.
 
“Whenever it may be implemented it will be effective from July.”
 
At the meeting, the finance minister also expressed dissatisfaction over the government’s data collection mechanism.
 
“At the end of the year it takes three months to get necessary data”, he said.