The Ministry of Public Administration has sought opinion from the Finance Division of the Ministry of Finance about installing car loan facilities for government officials at the deputy secretary level.
A finance ministry official said before placing the proposal with the cabinet division sometime soon, the public administration wanted to take finance’s opinion because putting such facilities in place involved a huge amount of money.
Sources said a letter, signed by Deputy Secretary Mahmuda Khatun of the public administration ministry, was sent last week to the finance ministry.
Under the existing facilities introduced in 2012, government officials ranked joint secretary and above are entitled to Tk20 lakh loan for buying cars. Against this loan, Tk17,000 monthly repayment installment is deducted from their salaries. They are also allowed Tk30,000 per month for maintenance of the cars they buy with the loan.
According to current arrangements, deputy secretaries, who work in various government offices and autonomous bodies outside the Secretariat, can use cars. However, those working at the Secretariat, are not allowed to use government vehicles.
At a meeting in the second week of January last year, 26 secretaries of various ministries sought expansion of car loan facilities for other civil bureaucrats and more office spaces at the Secretariat.
Public administration Secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury said: “It [installing loan car loan facilities for deputy secretaries] still requires value judgment.”
