MPs to be given official cars

Jatiya Sangsad panel chiefs to get flag cars, gunmen
The parliament commission on Wednesday approved a proposal for purchasing cars for all members of the parliament doing away with their privilege to import duty-free vehicles, the speaker of Jatiya Sangsad said Wednesday.
‘All lawmakers will be provided with vehicles to be maintained by the government transport pool,’ speaker Abdul Hamid said after a meeting of the commission that he presided at the parliament building.
The cars for the lawmakers will be available in the next fiscal year beginning July 1. The budget and specification of the cars will be determined later, the speaker said.
The finance ministry, however, allocated roughly Tk 50 crore to purchase vehicles for lawmakers of the 345-strong parliament.
‘Those who are already enjoying official car facility would not be given a second one, and there will be an end to the regime of duty-free car import for lawmakers,’ reads the commission’s decision.
The government will need to appoint drivers for the cars and additional manpower for their maintenance besides the fuel bills.
The parliament commission’s decision came at a time when the Awami League-led alliance government announced austerity in administrative spending amid global financial recession.
Hamid, while talking to New Age on May 14, viewed that the government move to purchase cars for lawmakers would not bring much benefit for the government rather it would increase the government expenditure.
He had pointed out that purchase and maintenance costs of a large number of cars would put pressure on the public exchequer. Hamid said he had preferred continuation of the duty-free import facility, which the army-backed government had scrapped by an ordinance. The elected government disregarded the ordinance and did not ratify it in parliament.
The elected MPs were entitled to duty-free import of cars once in a five-year tenure.
The facility was cancelled by the interim administration following disclosures that most MPs had sold out the costly and luxury cars they imported, to car dealers and other private parties for a higher price.
Wednesday’s meeting also attended by the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, approved office rooms for all the lawmakers at parliament complex. Each of the MPs will also be provided with an office at their respective constituencies.
As the chairmen of the parliamentary standing committees were not given any official status, the commission also approved a proposal for giving them flag cars. ‘The parliament secretariat will provide the flag with the emblem of Jatiya Sangsad,’ said the speaker, who will now be entitled to two flags – the parliament flag besides the national flag.
Each chairman will also be given gunmen by the government.
The speaker’s motorcade will now be officially entitled to a follow-up vehicle.
The meeting doubled the daily allowance for additional duty of the parliament employees to Tk 200 from Tk 100. It also increased the entertainment expenditure for a guest to Tk 25 from existing 12.
The meeting also approved the parliament television channel to air the parliament proceedings. In that case the second channel of state-run Bangladesh Television would be used with territorial facilities.

Courtesy of NewAgebd