Bangladesh Union Parishad Secretary Samity (BUPSS) should no longer exist as it failed to pay its members, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith said yesterday.
He said the BUPSS should pay union parishad secretaries their full salaries but it is only paying 25% at present.
“This is not support, this is contribution,” said Muhith while talking to reporters after holding a meeting with BUPSS leaders and members at his office.
The government currently pays 75% of the remunerations of union parishad secretaries from its exchequer and the remaining 25% comes from income generated by union parishads.
The key source of earning for a union parishad is haats (markets) within its territory that are leased to traders.
“Union parishad secretaries demanded that 100% of their salaries be given from the government exchequer. While I do not support the demand, I assured them of considering the proposal,” he said. Muhith also termed the demand illegitimate.
“We have already received a proposal from the Local Government Division for paying the union parishad secretaries in full from the government’s fund. We are mulling it over,” he said.
BUPSS Chairman Sohelur Rahman said the members were facing financial hardships because of the shortage of salaries, claiming that they are not receiving 25% of the pay supposed to come from union parishads.
“Secretaries of 25 union parishads, including Chittagong Hill Tracts, have long been deprived of the 25% of their income as none of the union parishads earn from leasing haats,” he added.
