No Decision Yet On DA For Government Employees: Fin Advisor

Finance Advisor Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed has stated that no decision has been made yet regarding the dearness allowance for government officials and employees.  

He made this statement today, Sunday (February 9), at a discussion meeting on the role of remittances in the country's economy. The event was organized by the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF) at the Secretariat.  

The advisor mentioned that not all conditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are followed, which is why it is sometimes said that Bangladesh has failed to meet IMF conditions. He reiterated that no decision has been taken yet regarding the dearness allowance for government employees, as the government must balance income and expenditure.  

Highlighting the demands of teachers, he said, “We are assessing what can be done for them in the upcoming budget. We are trying our best.”  

Regarding undocumented workers in Saudi Arabia and other countries, the advisor said that the government is considering the issue. He pointed out that if remittances are sent through informal channels like "hundi" instead of official banking channels, the money does not contribute to the country’s foreign reserves, which is a negative aspect. He also noted that most Bangladeshi migrant workers are unskilled, whereas workers from countries like India and Sri Lanka are skilled and educated. He emphasized the need to send more skilled workers abroad.  

Addressing concerns about economic progress, he stated, “Those who say nothing is happening are not entirely correct. Some progress is being made. There are many challenges in economic development. We may have shortcomings and mistakes, and we may not be able to implement major reforms.”  

However, he stressed that future political governments must be proactive in addressing these challenges.  

He further added that Bangladesh must be developed into a welfare-based state, which is ultimately the responsibility of political leadership.