Govt moves to introduce ration facilities for employees in Grades 12-20

The government has moved to introduce ration facilities for all officers and employees serving in government institutions under Grades 12 to 20 in response to rising commodity prices and the increasing cost of living.
The government believes that introducing ration facilities will reduce employees' mental stress, ease daily life, and help them focus better on their work. The proposal to provide ration benefits has received consent from the Finance Division and the Cabinet Division. In June, the Cabinet Division sent a letter to the Finance Division Secretary, directing it to take effective steps in this regard.

The Cabinet Division has also instructed secretaries of the implementing ministries to hold meetings and present progress updates. The Finance Division has been asked to inform the Cabinet Division whether the proposal can be implemented in the short, medium, or long term through progress reports submitted after quarterly meetings and by the 10th of each month.

Against the backdrop of rising inflation and increasing living costs in the country, the Deputy Commissioner of Pirojpur proposed introducing ration facilities for government employees in Grades 12 to 20. This proposal was put forward during the Deputy Commissioners' Conference held on 3 May.

In the proposal, the Deputy Commissioner of Pirojpur said that due to price hikes and various expenses, the cost of living has become exorbitant, leading to increased mental stress from debts and loans. This is causing disruptions in duty performance. If ration facilities are introduced, the pressure would decrease, life would become easier, and job performance would improve. The proposal suggested that providing ration benefits to employees in Grades 12 to 20 could be considered. 

Md Mamun, Deputy Secretary of the Field Administration Branch of the Cabinet Division, told BSS, "The development activities discussed at the DC Conference are being compiled into a book by BG Press. These books will be distributed to the concerned individuals. All ministry secretaries have been sent letters informing them of their responsibilities. 

They have been asked to implement decisions and send progress reports to the Cabinet Division's Field Administration Branch by the 10th of each month."

Experts say that such an initiative for government employees would provide relief to lower-income government employees. However, ensuring proper planning, budget allocation, and transparent management is crucial for the successful implementation of such a project.

Public administration expert and former Additional Secretary of the Government of Bangladesh Firoz Mia has welcomed this initiative to bring Grade 12-20 officers and employees under ration benefits.

He told BSS, "The proposal to provide ration benefits is positive. It is a timely decision. Due to rising commodity prices and increased living costs, the livelihood of government officers and employees has become quite difficult. Moreover, many cite the lack of government benefits as an excuse for engaging in corruption. Introducing ration facilities would help control such issues."

"However, the government must manage the ration distribution process very cautiously. If irregularities occur or the right people do not receive rations, it would be counterproductive," he added. 

Government employees in Grade 12 include- Office Assistant-cum-Computer Typist (handles administrative tasks in various ministries, departments, and institutions); Accounts Assistant/Cashier (managing financial accounts and cash operations in various offices); Shorthand Typist-cum-Computer Operator (handling personal work, typing letters, and taking dictation for senior officials); Storekeeper (maintaining materials and preparing inventories for various government stores); Security Inspector (supervising security in government offices and factories); others, including Data Entry Supervisor, Auditor, and Junior Instructor positions, are also included in this grade.

Grade 20 is the lowest or fourth-class level in Bangladesh's government pay structure. These positions typically require an SSC or equivalent educational qualification for recruitment. Positions in this grade include- Office Assistant, Security Guard/Constable, Peon, Gardener, Sweeper/Cleaner.

In Bangladesh, employees working in 10 privileged institutions receive ration facilities at government-fixed subsidized rates. These institutions are: Military Forces (Army, Navy, and Air Force); Bangladesh Police; Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB); Ansar and Village Defence Forces; Prison Directorate; Fire Service and Civil Defence Directorate; National Security Intelligence (NSI); Special Security Force (SSF); Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC); Department of Narcotics Control.

For a family of four in the police force, the typical monthly ration allocation is 20 kg of rice, 20 kg of flour, 2 kg of lentils, 4.5 liters of soybean oil, and 2 kg of sugar.

Earlier, during the interim government period, employees had protested, demanding rations and various allowances. At that time, Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder had supported the ration proposal and sent a letter to the Finance Division. Since then, the proposal has been under discussion at the policy-making level.