Deputy secretaries to get car loans, other cadres vexed

The Finance Division has decided to disburse car loans amounting to around Tk30 crore for deputy secretary-ranked government officials despite strong opposition from the 26 other cadres of Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS). The Ministry of Public Administration sought Tk461.70 crore from the Finance Division in a bid to provide car loan facilities to 1,563 deputy secretaries, of them 75% are from admin cadre and the rest are from the other 26 cadres. Publicity secretary of BCS Coordination committee, which is comprised of 26 cadres outside the admin cadre, SM Golam Kibria, told Dhaka Tribune that the latest government decision to provide car loan facilities to the selected deputy secretaries is a clear violation of the Services (Reorganisation and Conditions) Act, 1975. “According to Article 5(1) of the Act, members of the same grade in every cadre will be entitled to equal government benefits.” “Admin cadre officials have been controlling and taking every benefit from government high-ups, depriving other cadres.” Asked why the finance division had decided to disburse loan amid such a strong opposition, acting finance secretary Mohammad Muslim Chowdhury said: it is the government’s decision.” “It’s not possible for the public administration ministry to disburse such a huge amount of loan at one go. A small portion of the loan will be disbursed right now and the bigger part will be disbursed after the budget revision,” the finance secretary said. Until now, joint secretary ranked government officials were authorised to avail car loan facilities. According to the revised policy, deputy secretaries can take up to Tk30 lakh as car loan, which is free of interest and has to be repaid with 120 equal installments. The government will impose an additional 15% interest on the unpaid loans.