Government to increase village police salaries and provide mobile allowances: PM
Photo: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has announced an increase in the salaries of village police members. Under the new decision, each village police member will receive a monthly salary of Tk 10,500 while a village police chief will receive Tk 11,000. In addition, the government will provide each member with a monthly mobile phone allowance of Tk 150. The prime minister said the new decision would take effect from Saturday.
He also announced the recruitment of two additional female village police members in every union across the country and six months of maternity leave for them.
The prime minister made these announcements at a grand rally of village police members held at the National Parade Ground in the capital on the occasion of the historic November 7 National Revolution and Solidarity Day.
Earlier, he joined the rally at the National Parade Ground in Tejgaon at around 11:45 am on Saturday, accompanied by his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, vice president of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation.
The prime minister said village police members currently receive a monthly salary of Tk 7,500. This has been increased to Tk 10,500. The monthly salary of village police chiefs has also been raised from Tk 8,000 to Tk 11,000.
He also said the retirement gratuity for village police members had been increased from Tk 50,000 to Tk 80,000. For village police chiefs, it has been raised from Tk 80,000 to Tk 100,000.
The prime minister said village police members would receive Tk 150 per month to cover mobile phone expenses to facilitate communication. Travel allowances for visits to police stations have also been increased. Currently, village police members receive Tk 300 per week as travel allowance. Under the new decision, the amount has been raised to Tk 500. For village police chiefs, the allowance has been increased from Tk 300 to Tk 600.
The prime minister said the government was taking steps to improve the financial and professional status of village police members rather than merely changing their designations. Those previously known as Mohalladars and Dafadars will now be officially known as village police members and village police chiefs, respectively.
Announcing the recruitment of two new female village police members in every union, the prime minister said the initiative had been taken to promote women’s empowerment and increase employment opportunities. Female village police members will also receive six months of maternity leave.
He also said the government would take an initiative to name a major road in each union after the village police in recognition of their contributions. Trees will be planted on both sides of the roads. The money earned from selling the trees will be distributed among village police members of the respective unions.
Additionally, the prime minister said he would instruct the Ministry of Local Government to arrange for village police members to receive new bicycles every three to three and a half years instead of once every five years.
