Govt takes initiative to provide rations to Secretariat officers, employees
On 12 March, the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers-Employees Joint Council submitted an application to the Ministry of Food, requesting ration benefits for the Secretariat employees
The interim government has taken an initiative to provide rations to the officers and employees working at the Secretariat, similar to the employees of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
This initiative, however, has sparked angry reactions from government officials and employees working outside the Secretariat.
On 12 March, the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers-Employees Joint Council submitted an application to the Ministry of Food, requesting ration benefits for the Secretariat employees, similar to those received by ACC employees.
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Based on this application, the food ministry's Supply-1 branch sent a letter to the finance secretary on 25 March.
The letter stated that the proposal has been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance with recommendations for favourable consideration. It also contained the approval of Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder.
Meanwhile, the move to introduce ration facilities for Secretariat employees has sparked strong reactions from two platforms of government employees – the 11-20 Grade Government Employees Forum and the Bangladesh Sarkari Karmachari Dabi Aday Oikya Parishad.
In a joint statement sent to the media today (29 March), the two organisations said the food ministry's recommendation has deeply upset and disappointed those outside the Secretariat.
They described the timing of the letter, just before the long Eid-ul-Fitr holiday, as "malicious". They believe the letter was issued with the hidden intention of implementing this action quietly and without public knowledge.
The statement continued, stating that the current pay scale has already surpassed 10 years. With the rising cost of living, it has become increasingly difficult for all employees to make ends meet. While all employees are currently engaged in protests demanding better pay scales and allowances, the provision of such benefits to a specific group will only exacerbate existing disparities.
The organisations said it will also obstruct their ongoing demands for a better pay scale and allowances. They argued that inflation has increased for all, not just Secretariat employees, and that employees at all levels of government are struggling to make ends meet on their current salaries.
