The Ministry of Public Administration has proposed that high-level government officials, ministers and state ministers will receive Tk50,000 as a one-time allowance to purchase mobile handsets.

The proposal is part of the ‘Government Telephone and Internet Guideline 2017’, Senior Secretary Dr Md Mozammel Hoque Khan confirmed to the Bangla Tribune on Sunday( October 22) evening.

However, The Posts and Telecommunications Division additionally proposed that using Teletalk be mandatory on the state-sponsored mobile phones.

The guideline stipulates ministers, state ministers, deputy ministers, cabinet secretaries, senior secretaries, secretaries and acting secretaries will be eligible for Tk50,000 as a one-time allowance to purchase mobile handsets. They can use any internet service on their phone, but BTCL has to be preferred.

The phone and internet bills of ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers will be borne by their respective ministry.

According to ministry sources, for the first time the minister, state minister, deputy minister and secretaries are getting the opportunity to buy a mobile set officially. Earlier, government officials used to get mobile phone allowance. But the new policy has increased the allowance.

In addition, the new guideline sees from the highest officials in the administration to the thana executive officers, everyone’s phone and internet bills will be paid by the government.

Joint secretaries and above will get Tk2,500 for mobile phones and internet bill and deputy secretaries and above will get Tk1,000 for mobile phones and internet.

The mobile phone allowance will cover the personal secretaries of ministers, state ministers, deputy ministers, and cabinet secretary, PMO principal secretary, senior secretary, secretary, acting secretary and their personal secretaries.

It will also cover PMO officers, joint secretaries and above, members of the government delegation, prime minister’s press secretary, prime ministers’ two personal secretaries, all accompanying the prime minister on her overseas trips, and joint secretaries or above accompanying the president on his overseas trips.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Upazila health officer, Upazila agricultural officer, assistant commissioner (land), protocol officer of the deputy commissioner's office and the officer-in-charge of the police station will also get mobile phone allowance.

The new guideline also says the phones will also support international roaming.

The new additions to the list are the governor of the central bank, Election Commission officials, members of the Public Service Commission, auditor general, anti-corruption commissioner, the director generals of DGFI and NSI, additional inspector general of police, grade 1 officials, heads of departments, directorate generals and agencies, division commissioners, additional division commissioners, deputy superintendents of police, additional district and sessions judges, joint district judges, additional deputy commissioner, the additional police superintendent, and grade 4 officers and above.