As the 20-party alliance’s non-stop blockade continues, the Home Ministry has sought a further Tk20.4 crore from the Finance Ministry to fund the police and the BGB’s intelligence efforts in tackling the recent string of violence.
The latest request comes in addition to the Tk83.5 crore already sought by the Home Ministry since the start of the countrywide blockade – to fund fuel and patrolling costs of law enforcement officers. However, only Tk38 crore of those requests have been released so far from the government’s unexpected expenditure fund.
The request for more fund is now awaiting the approval of Finance Minister AMA Muhith.
According to the requests, Bangladesh Police has reportedly sought an extra Tk15 crore to carry out intelligence activities across the country during hartals and blockade, while the Border Guard Bangladesh has sought Tk5.4 crore to boost its own intelligence efforts.
On the first week of February, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) issued a directive to the Finance Ministry to provide all necessary allocations to meet the urgent costs of the country’s law enforcement agencies.
A letter in this regard, signed by PMO Director Dr Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir, was sent to the senior secretaries of the Finance Division and the Home Ministry.
For the 2014-15 fiscal year, the government had allocated Tk17.43 crore to carry out intelligence services of Bangladesh Police, while in the same budget the government allocated Tk4.50 crore for the BGB’s intelligence efforts.
Earlier, a top-ranking Finance Division official had told the Dhaka Tribune: “We are facing tremendous pressure, regarding funding demands of Tk154.3 crore, from the Home Ministry, Railways Ministry, and Roads and Highways Division.
“However, as of now, the [Finance] division has only disbursed Tk86.3 crore from the fund for unexpected expenditures,” said the official on condition of anonymity.