NATIONAL
PM Tarique Rahman deposits 10% of salary into govt treasury, urges ministers to do same
PM Tarique Rahman deposits 10% of his Tk115,000 salary into the state treasury and urged ministers to voluntarily do the same.
FARABI SAIFULLAH
Collected
BIONIC READING
In a Nutshell:
- At a recent cabinet meeting, the prime minister said he deposits 10 percent of his salary into the government treasury each month and invited ministers to voluntarily contribute the same share of their pay.
- Tarique Rahman made the appeal; Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain relayed it publicly. The prime minister linked the practice to his late father, former President Ziaur Rahman, who he said returned 10 percent of his salary
- According to Sakhawat, the prime minister said his basic salary is Tk 1,15,000, of which he deposits Tk 11,500 monthly by writing a cheque to the government account; he framed the request as entirely optional, and ministers reacted approvingly.
Why it Matters
The gesture is less about the sum involved than about the tone the new government wants to set, extending an austerity theme it is trying to emphasize since taking office.
- Framed as optional and modest in scale, the measure functions primarily as a values statement rather than a meaningful revenue source.
- The appeal aligns with steps this administration announced at the outset, including ruling-party MPs forgoing duty-free car imports and government plot allocations.
Who it matters to
Ministers now face a visible, if voluntary, expectation to match the prime minister's contribution; declining carries no legal penalty but could invite comparison.
- As the government has urged officials and citizens to practice austerity amid a strained economy, the gesture is positioned as an example from the top.