Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday assured teachers of non-government educational institutions that they would no longer have to visit offices or face harassment to receive their retirement benefits, as the government would ensure timely online transfer of their dues directly to their bank accounts.
“As long as the elected government remains in charge of the state, teachers will no longer have to go from office to office to receive their retirement benefits.
We will ensure that their dues are transferred to their bank accounts online on time, without any hassle or the suffering caused by middlemen,” he said.
The Prime Minister said this while addressing a function at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital this morning to inaugurate the payment of retirement and welfare benefits of the teachers and employees of non-government educational institutions.
The Prime Minister said 70,119 retired teachers of private schools, colleges and madrasas today received part of the funds deposited in two government funds after waiting for nearly four years since 2022.
“The money from the Non-Government Educational Institutions Teachers and Employees Welfare Trust and the Retirement Benefits Board has been sent directly to their accounts, bringing some relief to the long uncertainty in their lives,” he said.
Strongly condemning the harassment faced by teachers in receiving their legitimate dues, Tarique Rahman said teachers, who educate millions of students about morality, ethics and ideals, should not be forced to pay bribes or visit offices repeatedly to get their own money.
“If teachers have to pay bribes or suffer harassment by visiting offices to withdraw their money, it is not merely harassment of teachers; rather, it reflects our failure and disgrace as a nation,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the government had succeeded in transferring the teachers’ dues directly to their bank accounts online without any hassle.
Referring to the difficulties in distributing the retirement benefits, Tarique Rahman said that the previous government had looted the two funds, as it had done in other sectors, including banking and insurance.
“The two funds were made insolvent by creating fake indexes, transferring teachers’ welfare fund money to weak banks for the purpose of looting and destroying their technological infrastructure,” he said adding that as a result, teachers had not received any money from the funds since 2022.
The Prime Minister said the present BNP government, after assuming office, decided to pay the teachers despite financial constraints considering their hardship, and implemented the payment through special arrangements.
Recalling former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman said the Non-Government Educational Institutions Teachers and Employees Welfare Trust was established in 1991 and the Retirement Benefits Board in 2002 through her far-sighted initiatives.
“She initially allocated Taka 14 crore and gradually built a fund of Taka 89 crore, laying a strong foundation for these funds,” he said.
Tarique Rahman also recalled Khaleda Zia’s initiatives for education stipends and tuition-free education for female students, saying those initiatives are now regarded as models worthy of emulation worldwide.
Highlighting the contributions of teachers to building an educated society, the Prime Minister said teaching is the only profession that creates all other professions.
“Although you have formally retired, your responsibility as teachers has not ended. Your role in establishing religious, social and family values in society and the state is universally recognised,” he said, adding, “You will continue to serve as beacons of light in society until the last day of your lives—that is our expectation.”
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon, Prime Minister’s Education Affairs Adviser and Spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office Mahdi Amin, Education Secretary Abdul Khaleque and senior officials were present.
The applications of teachers and employees seeking benefits from the Non-Government Educational Institutions Teachers and Employees Welfare Trust and Retirement Benefits Board were scrutinized and processed through the iBAS++ system for payment.
The government has allocated Taka 2,035 crore and 86 lakh as a one-time payment to settle the retirement and welfare benefits of the teachers and employees.
The funds, which will help clear dues accumulated over the past four years, are being transferred simultaneously to the respective bank accounts of the beneficiaries across all 64 districts.