Govt employees getting 5.0pc pay perks

Government employees are going to get an "incentive" at the rate of 5.0 per cent of their pay as the prime minister unveiled the government plan in her budget speech in parliament Sunday.
The perk is meant for enabling the employees to absorb the shock of inflation, Sheikh Hasina told the lawmakers in her wrap-up speech before the passage of the Finance Bill that gives effect to fiscal measures stipulated in the 2023-24 national budget.
Prime Minister Hasina also mentioned that steps have been taken to raise agricultural production to increase supply which she hoped would help in containing the inflation.
She admitted that owing to the Ukraine were the balance of payments and the current-account-balance situation of the country were under pressure, but she assured that things would be improve as measures have been taken to reduce unnecessary imports and to boost exports.
In this connection, she mentioned that measures have been taken to slash unnecessary expenditures and to carry out austerity measures.
The prime minister noted that a section of people were always critical of the national budget as they say this budget is ambitious and unimplementable.
"But we are habituated to this type of people as they are always pessimistic about everything," she said, adding that the government is confident about being able to implement this budget.
The prime minister said due to price rises of necessary commodities in the world market, the forex reserves were under pressure, but still the country has reserves worth US$30.1 billion which is enough to foot the food-import bill for four to five months.
She also said the government aims to ensure inclusive growth, and in this regard people of all walks of life were brought under the development drive.
A number of measures have been taken to improve the investment climate and to reduce the cost of doing business, the prime minister said, adding that this will help in attracting more foreign direct investment as well as the domestic investment.
The prime minister said that due to the Ukraine war, the world economy is facing catastrophic situation, and many countries are struggling to face these challenges.
"Under this circumstance, presenting a national budget was a great challenge, and I thank the Finance Minister for accomplishing that," she said.
The prime minister noted that this is the 15th budget presented by the only government after resuming power in 2008
"And this is the last budget of our present time in power, but it may not be the last for us. Whether this will be our last budget, or not, will be decided by the people of the country, and I leave it to the people as they will decide whether it will be our last budget or not."
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said containing inflation is the main challenge of the government and that the government is taking all-out efforts to resolve this issue.
Listing massive development programs completed by her government in the last 15 years, the prime minister said Bangladesh has emerged as the 35th-biggest economy of the world due to these measures.
She urged all not to panic over the rumours spread by some quarters.
She mentioned that for the last three consecutive times, the people elected her party to power and she hoped that people will again what did for them.
"I do not see any alternative. I do not see anybody who can match us in carrying out such a development spree," she pointed out.
The prime minister said that the ultimate goal of the government is to make the country self-reliant through creating 'Smart Bangladesh' and by bringing about the Fourth Industrial revolution.
"We want to ensure that Bangladesh will not go begging money from others."

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