A bill regarding the privileges enjoyed by a retired president of the country was placed in the parliament yesterday, keeping a provision barring any pension, gratuity or other facilities for a president who had taken over power illegally.
The President Pension, Gratuity and Other Privileges Act, 2015, was sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs for scrutiny, after Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury placed it before the parliament.
According to the act, the draft of which was approved by the cabinet in August, a retired president would get 75% of his salary as pension.
However, the bill added that the pension and gratuity would not be applicable in three cases: if a retired president later goes on to hold office in another government and receives salary and other benefits from the consolidated fund of that government, if any president is punished for moral deviation or criminal charge, or if a competent court declares the occupation of the office of the President illegal.
The existing President’s Pension Ordinance 1979 as amended in 1988 will be replaced by the new act, which would be applicable for all presidents since independence. Under the act, nominee or heirs may receive the pension and gratuity of a late or retired president if it was not received before.
The bill said a former president will avail a personal assistant, one attendant and expenses for operating the office. Apart from these, the former president will also avail medical status like a minister, free vehicles, telephone, diplomatic passport and can use circuit house or rest house inside the country without any charge.
