Tk5.5cr allocated for five reform commissions
Commission heads and members granted secretary-level privileges
The finance ministry has allocated Tk5.52 crore in the national budget for the current fiscal year to fund five reform commissions set up by the interim government.
The Constitution Reform Commission received the highest allocation of over Tk1.5 crore, while the Police Reform Commission received the lowest, nearly half of that amount, according to officials at the finance ministry.
The interim government, formed after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government during the student-led uprising on 5 August last year, established six reform commissions across various sectors.
The heads and members of these commissions have been granted the same privileges as secretaries, the finance ministry officials said.
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Except for the Media Reform Commission, all five commissions have submitted their recommendations, which the government has published.
According to finance ministry officials, Tk5.52 crore has been allocated for five of the six reform commissions. Of this, Tk1.64 crore has been designated for the Constitution Reform Commission, tasked with reviewing the constitution and proposing reforms to establish a representative democracy and empower the people.
Additionally, Tk1.34 crore has been allocated in the current fiscal year for the Election Reform Commission, which aims to ensure fair, impartial, and participatory elections by overhauling the electoral system to strengthen democracy in Bangladesh.
The finance ministry has allocated Tk95 lakh for the Local Government Reform Commission to strengthen and implement the local government system.
Tk83 lakh has been allocated in the current fiscal year for the Police Reform Commission to develop a people-oriented, accountable, efficient, and impartial police administration.
The government has allocated Tk76 lakh for the Judiciary Reform Commission to propose measures for an independent, neutral, and effective judiciary.
Finance ministry officials said the allocation is intended to cover the salaries, allowances, honoraria, and incidental expenses of the heads and members of the commissions.
The government has formed a national consensus commission to gather political parties' views on which recommendations from the reform commissions' reports will be implemented by the interim government, headed by Professor Muhammad Yunus as its chief adviser, before national elections.
