Govt hikes allowances for cops

Bringing some cheer to the police in these hard times during the coronavirus pandemic, the government has increased the monthly risk allowances of its members ranking from constable to superintendent of police (SP).

Alongside the risk allowance, known as special allowance, other monthly allowances – including the unconditional conveyance allowance, telecom allowance, acting allowance, motorcycle allowance, and daily meal allowance – have been raised for cops holding the ranks of constable to assistant superintendent of police (ASP).

The kit allowance of high-ranking officers beginning from ASP has also been increased.

The implementation subdivision of the Finance Division under the Ministry of Finance, on March 16, issued a gazette notification raising the allowances of police members.

According to officials of the Finance Division, the Public Security Division under the Ministry of Home Affairs, in January this year, sent the proposal to raise various pays – including risk allowance – considering the important role police personnel play in ensuring the security of life and property.

However, pressure started mounting on the finance ministry to hike risk allowances for members of the police force – following the diagnosis of the first Covid-19 case in the country in March.

This is because police personnel must work at the field-level to serve the people – even in risky environments.

Plus, the home ministry let the finance ministry know that the pressure of work on police officials has increased.            

The pay hikes will directly benefit around two lakh police personnel from the rank of constable to ASP.  

Secretary to the Finance Division Abdur Rouf Talukder told The Business Standard the gazette notification was issued after a Public Security Division proposal was scrutinised.

According to the gazette notification, the monthly special allowance of constables and guard constables has been raised from Tk45 to Tk300.     

Police members ranking as assistant sub-inspector (ASI) at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), and ASI (armed) have seen a Tk255 rise in their monthly special allowance – which had been Tk45.

Meanwhile, the risk allowance of ASIs with armed police and metropolitan police have been enhanced from Tk60 to Tk300; that of ASIs posted in district special branch (SB), the armed police battalion and police training institutes has been raised from Tk75 to Tk500.   

The hike in various allowances will require additional budget allocations, but the finance division officials did not immediately say how much of an increase the allocations would see.

The special allowance for sub-inspectors (SI) and sergeants of the metropolitan police has been raised from Tk60 to Tk300, while that of SIs and sergeants working at the CID, PBI and training institutes has been hiked from Tk185 to Tk500.

Further, ASPs working with the Armed Police Battalion, and Special Securities and Protection Battalion will now get Tk1,000 as a monthly risk allowance – which previously was Tk550.   

The monthly special allowance of SPs with the Armed Police Battalion, and Special Securities and Protection Battalion has been enhanced to Tk1,500 from Tk900, while that of additional SPs has been raised to Tk1,200 from Tk720.

Apart from special allowance, other allowances have also been raised for the cops. The acting allowance of inspectors and sub-inspectors (armed) has been raised to Tk500 and Tk300, respectively, from Tk185 and Tk45.

The SPs, inspectors, and SIs previously got Tk375, Tk270, and Tk185, respectively, as a telecom allowance. All of them will now receive Tk500 for that purpose. Meanwhile, the telecom allowance of ASIs and constables has been hiked to Tk300, and they used to get Tk115 and Tk100, respectively.

Meanwhile, motorcycle allowance of SIs and ASIs for all units of Bangladesh Police has been raised to Tk500 from Tk215.

The unconditional conveyance allowance of inspectors, SIs and sergeants has been more than doubled to Tk500. 

Alongside other allowances, the daily meal allowance of single ration-receiving police members has been enhanced to Tk750 from Tk510.