The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a meeting here on Monday urged the government to change the existing policy of pension fund generation and appoint specific designated persons to settle pension cases of the retired public servants.

The existing system of raising the fund for pension of retired public servants from taxpayers is not 'justified', as under the system posterity has to bear the burden of the pension of their previous generation. The system also does not recognise the pension as a 'right', but 'benevolence', they said.

Addressing a function on the occasion of releasing a report on 'Corruption in Delivery of Public Pension' at Jatiya Press Club, the speakers called for the introduction of automation system to keep in record of the civil servants since their joining in service. The report published by the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said public pension is one of those sectors where corruption is high and about 71 per cent pension receivers had to pay bribe on an average Taka 8,000 to get the Pension Payment Order (PPO).

It said generally a civil servant has to submit eight to 11 documents including gas bill and electricity bill payment certificate to get the PPO and in every stage has to procure the certificate they face harassment and give bribe.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of the TIB trustee board Professor Muzaffer Ahmed said the government should amend the existing pension policy to acknowledge the benefit as the rights of the retired civil servants, not benevolence.

"The government should keep provision for each official and employee during their whole service period and the amount should be accumulated in a separate fund," he said adding that many countries and international agencies are following the system.

He also urged the civil servants to preserve all documents of their service in a file so that none can exploit or harass them at the time of taking delivery of their pension after leaving the office.

Former adviser of the caretaker government Hafiz Uddin Khan, former ambassador Waliur Rahman and TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman spoke among others.

Research fellow of the TIB KNM Hossainul Haque presented the report prepared on the data collected from different newspapers during 2000-2006 period.

Describing his personal experience in getting pension, former ambassador Waliur Rahman said he didn't get the benefit even after nine years of his retirement as he denied to give bribe.

'After the present caretaker government assuming the office, my file started to move', he said demanding 'one stop service' for pensioners.

Hafiz called for the implementation of the recommendations he made to the government when he was an adviser in 2001. He also laid stress on introducing 'history of service' book for every public servant.