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Hafizuddin Khan for public sector salary hike

Advisor in charge of Finance and Planning Minsitries Hafizuddin Khan yesterday suggested salary enhancement of the government employees to improve their efficiencies and attract competent people in the administration.

He made the suggestion when an independent task force on Macroeconomic Policies suggested putting a cap on rising revenue expenditure on salary and allowances head that had eaten up 28.8 per cent of the total revenue expenditure in FY01.

"I differ with the suggestion. Probably, the government employees of Bangladesh are the lowest paid in the world. I think the focus should be to downsize the government, but to offer adequate package for the employees," Khan said.

He was speaking as the Special Guest at a pre-election policy brief styled "Macroeconomic Policies" jointly organised by Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), The Daily Star and the Prothom Alo at CIRDAP auditorium in the city.

However, former Minister M Syeduzzaman, who Chaired the session and is the Chairman of the Task Force, said their intention was not to lower the salary of the government employees, but to put a cap on the rising revenue expenditure on this head.

"Downsizing of the government will serve the purpose," he said.

Hafizuddin Khan in line with the suggestion of the Task Force felt the Finance and Planning Ministry should be merged and renamed as Ministry of Economic Affairs as soon as possible.

The Task Force also suggested for strengthening the role of Finance Ministry as it thought the Ministry has been marginalised in areas, such as contracts for power, gas and defence purchase.

However, Finance Secretary Zakir Ahmed Khan does not think the Finance Ministry has been marginalised. He said putting Finance Ministry on top of others may create problem.

Referring to the Transparency International's report that termed Bangladesh as the most corrupt nation, the Advisor said, "I can't say whether Bangladesh is the number one or number two corrupt country. But I can say there is widespread corruption prevailing in the country."