Bills seeking to nearly double the salaries, allowances and discretionary grants of the president, prime minister, ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers were placed in parliament yesterday.
Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, in-charge of the Cabinet Division on parliamentary affairs, placed three separate bills: The President’s (Remuneration and Privileges) (Amendment) Bill 2016, The Prime Minister’s (Remuneration and Privileges) (Amendment) Bill 2016, and The Ministers, Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers (Remuneration and Privileges) (Amendment) Bill 2016 in the House.
The bills say that the basic pay of the president will be raised to Tk1.12 lakh from the existing Tk61,200. The basic salary of the prime minister will be raised from Tk58,600 to Tk1.15 lakh.
The relevant draft bill set the ministers’ salary at Tk1.05 lakh increasing it from Tk53,100. State ministers’ proposed salary is Tk92,000 from the current Tk47,800 while that of the deputy ministers Tk86,500 from the existing Tk45,150.
The amount of discretionary grants for the president, prime minister, ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers were also hiked significantly in the draft bills.
Discretionary fund for the president was increased to Tk27 lakh from Tk15 lakh. For the prime minister, this has been increased from Tk1 crore to Tk1.5 crore; for ministers from Tk4 lakh to Tk10 lakh; for state ministers from Tk3 lakh to Tk7.5 lakh; and for deputy ministers from Tk3 lakh to Tk5 lakh.
Besides, Allowances for house maintenance, daily and conveyance of the president, prime minister and ministers will also be increased.
On Sunday, two other bills seeking to nearly double the salary and other related benefits of the speaker, deputy speaker and members of parliament were placed in parliament.
The last time the president, prime minister, ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers got salary and benefit raise was in 2009.
