The finance division on Thursday approved a proposal for 5 per cent increment and 20 per cent of the basic as the Baishakh allowance on Bangla New Year for five lakh non-government teachers on monthly pay order ahead of the 11th parliamentary polls.
Experts said that the government was trying to influence the elections declaring incentives even after the announcement of election schedule in violation of the electoral code of conduct and in contrary to a level playing field and the Election Commission should prevent such activities.
A senior finance division official told New Age that they were forced to approve the education ministry’s proposal although the schedule of the general election was already announced.
The Election Commission on November 8 announced the schedule of the elections posting the polling for December 23 and later rescheduled the polls for December 30.
The proposal submitted by the education ministry in May 2017 was pending with the finance division for green signal from the hierarchy, said officials concerned.
Education minister Nurul lslam Nahid thanked the finance division for the approving the much-persuaded proposal.
He told new Age on Thursday that they received the consent of the finance division and a government announcement would be issued soon.
He denied that the approval was in violation of the electoral code of conduct and against the principle of a level playing field.
Local government expert Tofail Ahmed said that the government led by the Awami League was trying to influence the next general election by declaration of incentives even after the announcement of the election schedule.
He noted that such declaration was contrary to the electoral code of conduct as well as level playing field for an acceptable election after lop-sided election in 2015 boycotted my all opposition parties.
Civic rights organisation Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik secretary Badiul Alam Majumder said that the teachers on monthly pay order deserved the festival allowance and salary hike, but the allocation was made at a wrong time.
The move might be an effort to influence the general election, he said, adding that the Election Commission should be more active to hold acceptable polls.
Nahid argued that prime minister Sheikh Hasina promised to provide the incentives to the teachers on several occasions.
She made the latest statement on the issue while distributing cheques of seed money among nine organisations and trust funds at Ganabhaban on November 9, the next day of the the announcement of election schedule, he said.
Nahid also argued that the delay in the announcement was unavoidable as a lot of bureaucratic exercises had to be completed.
He said that about five lakh teachers and employees at non-government educational institutions, including schools, colleges and madrassahs on the monthly pay order, would get the increment and allowance.
An additional amount of Tk 532 crore would be spent annually for meeting the expenses of the increment while Tk 177 crore would be required annually for provide the special allowance, said the finance division officials.
They said that the division might bow down to the political pressure to approve others’ demands like introduction of interest free car loan and monthly maintenance fee of Tk 50,000 for lower ranking defence officers and police sub-inspectors ahead of the polls.
Besides, the ministry of jute and textile has allegedly been putting pressure on the finance division to provide fund to the loss-making Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation to clear arrears of the workers to avert a possible unrest ahead of the polls.
The officials said that such demands could easily be met after the general election as six months of the financial year still remained.

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