Police SIs, ASIs to get interest-free loan for motorcycles
Tk5,000-7,000 to be given monthly for fuel and maintenance costs
Highlights
- Govt to give interest-free motorcycle loans to SIs and ASIs
- Officers to get Tk5,000–7,000 monthly for fuel and maintenance
- Tk600 crore fund arranged through Sonali and Community Bank
- Loans repaid via salary; motorcycles mortgaged to police
- Priority for officers in rural and remote areas
The government has decided to provide sub-inspectors (SIs) and assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) of police with interest-free loans to purchase motorcycles – aimed at ensuring their quick presence at crime scenes and expediting investigations.
According to the arrangement, police members will also receive Tk5,000 per month for fuel and maintenance during the first five years and Tk7,000 per month from the sixth year onward.
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The decision was taken at a meeting on 30 July, chaired by home ministry's Senior Secretary Nasimul Ghani, as recorded in the meeting minutes.
Under the plan, Sonali Bank will provide a Tk600 crore loan at 9% simple interest to Community Bank, which will then distribute interest-free loans to SIs and ASIs for motorcycles up to 150cc.
The Ministry of Finance will cover the interest payable to Sonali Bank, while loan instalments will be deducted from borrowers' salaries over five years.
However, police members will have to bear Community Bank's service charge.
At the meeting, Senior Secretary Nasimul Ghani said, "Case investigation is an important activity of the police, mostly conducted by officers at the SI and ASI levels. To reach crime scenes quickly, collect evidence, and question witnesses, greater mobility is required. Providing an interest-free loan facility for motorcycles will speed up investigations, increase police presence in the field, and improve the overall quality of public service."
The meeting minutes also show that the chief adviser instructed the home ministry to seek loans from any scheduled bank, assuring that the government would cover the interest.
Following this guidance, the ministry moved to finalise the current proposal in coordination with the finance ministry.
A finance ministry official, however, told TBS that they had not yet received any new proposal from the home ministry. "A decision will be made after the proposal is received and reviewed," the official said.
According to the home ministry's plan, priority will be given to officers working in rural, remote and hard-to-reach areas.
The facility will be available after two years of service, but not to those with fewer than seven years left before retirement.
The loan will require the purchased motorcycle to be mortgaged in favour of the Bangladesh Police until repayment is completed.
If a borrower leaves service without repaying, the outstanding amount will be adjusted against their pension and gratuity.
Even after repayment, the motorcycle must be used for official purposes throughout the borrower's service period.
Fuel and maintenance allowances for these motorcycles will come from the Bangladesh Police's existing budget, which may need to be increased to accommodate the new facility.
Earlier in January, the home ministry had requested an interest-free advance facility of Tk2.5 lakh to Tk6 lakh per police member, depending on salary grade, but the finance ministry rejected the proposal in March.
