Such a choice to please a specific group
Based on the brand new resolution, most of the two,700 cc vehicles might be bought for Grade-1 and Grade-2 authorities officers at a value of Tk 1 crore 45 lakh (together with tax, VAT).
Based on the information revealed within the media, the quantity owed by the suppliers of fertilizer to the Ministry of Agriculture is about 6 thousand 300 crores. Apart from this, the massive quantity of international forex wanting to import fertilizers can be in a disaster.
However, power imports are additionally not getting the mandatory US {dollars}. The personal sector can be going through disaster whereas importing merchandise. Once more, on account of inadequate income assortment, the Ministry of Finance will not be capable of paying subsidies in varied sectors together with electrical energy and fertilizer on time.
In such a state of affairs earlier than the nationwide elections, the federal government has created a chance for the highest officers of varied ministries, departments, directorates, and departments to purchase automobiles valued at one and a half crore rupees.
Nevertheless, a month in the past, on July 2, the Ministry of Finance issued a round stating that each one kind of autos will probably be stopped in authorities workplaces below the administration and improvement finances within the 2023-24 monetary 12 months to scale back the strain on international alternate and austerity.
New Resolution: Grade-1 & Grade-2 Officials Vehicles to Get 2,700cc Cars at Tk 1.45 Cr
Based on the brand new resolution, a most of the two,700 cc automobiles might be bought for Grade-1 and Grade-2 authorities officers at a value of Tk 1 crore 45 lakh (together with tax, VAT).
For officers of grade-3 and beneath, an automobile of lower than 2 thousand ccs might be bought at a value of Tk 65 lakh together with registration, tax, and VAT value.
Earlier, the utmost automobile worth for grade-1 and grade-2 authorities officers was Rs 94 lakh and Rs 57 lakh for officers beneath grade-3.
The previous Cupboard Secretary spoke about opening the best way for presidency officers to purchase automobiles along with rising the automobile finances amid multi-faceted macroeconomic issues corresponding to fertilizer and gasoline disasters on account of cash and greenback scarcity, the decline in the financial institution sector belongings, capital migration, rise in costs of everyday commodities and inflation. Ali Imam Majumder, native authorities skilled Tofail Ahmed, with Iftekharuzzaman, govt director of anti-corruption worldwide group Transparency Worldwide Bangladesh (TIB), and Salim Raihan, govt director of analysis institute South Asian Community on Financial Modeling (SANEM).
Based on them, there was no sudden enhancement within the financial situation of Bangladesh in order that such a choice could possibly be taken for the ‘luxurious’ of officers. This resolution is contradictory and inconsistent with the selections taken earlier than the austerity amid the prevailing world and home financial disaster.
Former Cupboard Secretary Ali Imam Majumder noticed that the federal government has taken such a choice to please a specific group earlier than the elections.
Ceasing Vehicles Shopping in Gov’t Offices: A Hasty Decision
Recalling the choice to cease shopping for all kinds of Vehicles in authorities workplaces below the administration and improvement finances, he stated, ‘Firstly, it isn’t proper to take excessive choices at any time. Generally shopping for an automobile might be a pressing want. An automobile could have to be changed if it breaks down. In that case, there could also be questions of limitation. However, when the choice was taken it was essential to see no less than 1 12 months.’
He stated about raising the finances for automobile buy apart from withdrawing from the earlier resolution without doing so, ‘The actual fact of accelerating the allocation rapidly with no clarification and evaluation has created a doubt. I feel the federal government is affected by indecisiveness and is taking such choices to please a specific part.’
Ali Imam Majumder believes that such a choice of the federal government could have a destructive influence on the general public.
On this regard, native authorities skilled Tofail Ahmed stated, ‘If we take a look at the situation of our neighboring international locations, India and Nepal, their authorities officers don’t use costly autos like ours. They use medium-high quality automobiles manufactured of their nation. Leaders have a tendency to make use of cheaper automobiles.’
‘We now have our backs towards the wall. And the automobiles that will probably be purchased should be imported automobiles. These are not (made) within the nation. Then the automobiles must be purchased by spending international forex. This waste will not be from one facet, the disaster will not be from one facet’, he stated.
Calling such a choice ‘suicidal’ within the present financial state of affairs, this native authorities skilled stated, ‘Regardless of the general disaster of the nation, the federal government will not be being attentive to it. There are numerous different issues. As an economical coverage, we now assess the income we spend annually to see that are avoidable. Do not make these bills. Compressing them throughout the finances. 20 to 30 % value discount. However we aren’t going that method in any respect.’
Citing an incident in Rajshahi for instance of wastage, he stated, ‘AC is being fitted in each automobile. In a gathering in Rajshahi, authorities officers have been seen getting into the assembly and the drivers have been all sleeping with the AC working. They don’t seem to be being monitored in any method.’
‘The austerity coverage will not be being monitored. (Authorities) is rising the expenditure repeatedly. No value financial savings by any means. Quite, the wastage has gone to excessive limits. Should spend if mandatory. However why waste it’, he requested.
TIB Government Director Iftekharuzzaman’s assertion on this regard, it’s pure to suppose that the rise in market worth was the principle consideration in figuring out the brand new worth within the buy or allocation of autos for presidency officers. Earlier, nearly 4 years after the final pricing in September 2019, this revaluation can be thought-about as a part of the traditional course of. Nevertheless, on this case, there is a chance to test the rationale of this resolution within the gentle of two points.’
He stated, ‘Firstly, with a purpose to scale back the strain on international alternate and scale back the general authorities expenditure, this soar is taken into account cheap after shifting away from the round issued by the Ministry of Finance on July 2 to droop the acquisition of all kinds of autos within the authorities workplaces within the fiscal 12 months 2023-24. To what extent has the suitable modified state of affairs been created? Secondly, was every other issue given better weight than the criterion of economic means on this resolution?’
Iftekharuzzaman commented, “Like all different bills of the general public sector, because the public has to bear the burden of the price of buying and utilizing the autos of presidency staff, it’s important to present the best precedence to the general public curiosity in such choices.”
Salim Raihan, govt director of the analysis institute Sanem, thinks that this resolution is contradictory and inconsistent with the selections taken earlier than the austerity on the authorities stage.
He stated, ‘It’s not clear why this resolution was modified. There was no such enhancement within the financial situation of Bangladesh. There was no such enhancement within the state of presidency income. This austerity ought to have continued no less than until the top of this 12 months or the primary quarter of the subsequent 12 months.
Salim Raihan stated, ‘We additionally know that there are a number of uncertainties surrounding the upcoming elections. Throughout this time, it was mandatory to tug plenty of rushes rather than consumption. In this case, I feel there is a chance to rethink the selections which have been relaxed.
He opined, ‘In such a (disaster) time, individuals wish to see that when the federal government is speaking about austerity, it’s doing it itself. Creating an occasion by itself. There was a chance to contemplate if the financial state of affairs improved just a little. Completely different authorities schemes have totally different adjustment alternatives. The choice to spend extra as an alternative of going for that adjustment is in no way in line with the earlier resolution.’
