Govt employees tackling Covid-19 to get cash compensation

The government has announced cash compensation for its employees who are tackling the Covid-19 pandemic on the front lines.

They will be eligible for the compensation if they get infected or die in the line of duty.

Doctors, nurses and healthcare workers actively engaged in treating coronavirus patients will get the compensation, along with employees of field administration, law enforcement agencies, armed forces and other staff directly engaged in managing the coronavirus crisis on the government's order.

Issuing a circular on Thursday, the Ministry of Finance said, "Under the national pay scale, employees from grade 1-9 will get Tk10 lakh each, if they get infected in the line of duty.

"Similarly, employees and staffers from grade 10-14 will get Tk7.5 lakh, and those from grade 15-20 will get Tk5 lakh. If any of these employees die in the line of duty, their next of kin will get five times the initial compensation."

The government will pay this compensation in addition to any existing financial aid or grant in the case of death of an employee or staff.

Government employees, officials and staff who are not directly tacking the coronavirus pandemic on the front lines, will not be eligible for this compensation.

Only government officials and staff who got infected or passed away due to the Covid-19 outbreak on or after April 1 will be eligible for this facility.

The circular, signed by Deputy Secretary Dr Mohammad Abu Yusuf of the Finance Division, added that anyone who wants to avail the facility must submit an application through a specific form.

Applicants will have to mention their name, ID, rank, name of the office, pay scale and grade, date of testing positive for Covid-19, medical certificate or report, and a certificate from the regulatory authority proving their direct involvement.

In case a person, who meets the criteria set by the government, dies in the line of duty, their husband, wife or children, and in case the person was unmarried, their parents will be able to apply for the compensation.

In this case, the applicant will have to submit the death certificate of the deceased and the proof of their relationship with deceased, along with other necessary documents.

After proper vetting, the Ministry of Public Administration will send the applications to the Ministry of Finance. The finance ministry will then issue a government order to disburse the funds.

Speaking to The Business Standard, several finance ministry officials said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina earlier announced health insurance to encourage doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers to treat Covid-19 patients, and incentives for field-level employees working on the front lines.

As it will have to pay the insurance premium, and insurance claims take a longer period of time, the government later decided to compensate officials, employees and staff in cash.