Government service holders from Joint Secretary to senior officers will be entitled to the facility of government car. From 2018, the facility of car was made available from the Deputy Secretary level. The regulations were prepared in 2017. These were later modified and stated that Deputy Secretaries would be entitled to cars after three years of service.
According to the ‘Interest-Free Car Advance and Transport Services Encashment Policy 2011 Regulations (Amended)’, the officers received interest-free loans of Tk 3 million (Tk 30 lakh) each to buy the car. And the government provides another Taka 50,000 for maintenance, fuel and driver’s salary.
These facilities are being extended to officers of the rank of Joint Secretary and above of the Economic cadre, which has now been merged with the Administration cadre, as well as officers of the rank of Joint Secretary (Draft) and above (who would have received this facility hai) is also being given. Cars for 24/7 use). Government officials entitled to cars should be allowed to use cars from the government transport pool. Instead, the government is providing interest-free car loans. As per the policy, the loan can be repaid in 120 equal installments. Installments will be deducted from the salary every month.
According to sources in the Ministry of Public Administration, around 2300 officers have availed the interest-free loan to buy cars since its launch. In the financial year 2017-18, 1234 officers availed the interest free loan facility. In the financial year 2018-19, 847 officers had availed this facility. It seemed that most of the officers took advantage of this facility. Over 200 officials in the 2019-20 financial year, a total of 59 in the 2020-21 and 21 in the 2022-23 financial year purchased cars on interest-free loans.
Many officers are accused of using the cars of the ministry, department or corporation even after purchasing the cars by taking interest-free loan. The allegation is that they are using these cars instead of returning them to the car pool.
The Ministry of Public Administration has issued instructions several times to return cars to the pool. However, no one bothered to do so. The last notice to send the cars back to the pool was issued on December 8 last year.