BR still pays salaries in colonial system

The Bangladesh Railway (BR) is facing trouble in disbursing monthly salaries among thousands of employees during the ongoing lockdown due to the British-era cash payment system.
Confusion arose as it ran special trains on different routes to send salaries for station staffers when regular train services have been suspended.
The national rail network now remains out of service except some goods trains since the government announced the lockdown from March 26.
As these trains run, some media reports have alleged that special trains are being operated with passengers on different routes.
The BR also faced criticism on its Facebook page with a glut of comments of many rail users.
Allegations are rife that it transacts smuggled money.
According to BR officials, trains were sent with cash to different stations from Dhaka and Chattogram to pay salaries for March.
Four such trains carrying only one coach with an engine were sent on April 09, 11, 13 and 18.
They said no passenger was carried in those trains.
On allegations of carrying passengers in container trains, the officials said there is no scope as only containers are kept locked while transportation.
"We sent salaries for station staffers and pensions of retired railway employees by trains as passenger trains are now suspended," said Mia Jahan, additional director general (operation).
During normal time, he said, these salaries are handed to station masters keeping one coach of a passenger train locked.
As the BR is unable to fully automate payment system under electronic fund transfer (EFT), the trains ran with security personnel and accounts section staffers.
Salaries in Dhaka, Kishoreganj, Mymensingh and Jamalpur regions were disbursed on April 09 and 10, Dhaka, Laksam, Cumilla and Chandpur on April 13 and Dhaka, Narsingdi, Akhaura, Sayestaganj, Srimangal, Kulaura and Sylhet on April 18.
A BR accounts officer said they have an EFT payment system for only 54 staffer but more than 25,000 others get salaries in cash in phases over the month.
"We can't pay salaries for current staffers and pensions for retirees on a single date. We have to pay salaries in phases," he said seeking anonymity.
The official said this practice has been continuing since the British period.
As BR earnings from train tickets are deposited to the government's treasury, the accounts section collects salaries from the Bangladesh Bank after getting demand from all stations every month.
"This is time-consuming, so we can't pay salaries at a time," he said, adding that the BR will operate more trains to complete salary disbursements for March.
If the lockdown continues, such train operations will be needed in the coming months, the official said.
As to why the local administration was not informed about such train operations, officials said the BR has government permission to operate goods and container trains during lockdown.
Salary disbursement is a part of the BR's official work, they continued.
"We've kept the stations open for smooth running of goods trains as it is officially permitted. Why do we need permit for salary disbursement," said an official.
Sources said BR workshop staffers get salary before a month starts, followed by regular office staff on the first day of next month.
All office staff get salary in cheques. It completes salary disbursement of 18 departments which include mechanical, civil, traffic, signaling and rolling stock till the end of each month.
The BR earlier tried to introduce computerised system in activities like ticketing system under its reforms programme launched in 2005 but signally failed.
However, railways ministry officials receive salaries and pensions in their bank accounts under finance ministry's iBAS++ project.

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