The plight of elderly pensioners

In 2005, the government for the first time increased pension for public servants who were to retire under the sixth National Pay Scale (NPS). The subsequent NPS's in 2009 and 2015 also saw increase in pension. All these increments caused some level of disparity among pensioners, but the eighth in 2015 did so the most.

To put it in context, a pensioner retired under third NPS attaining the highest pay of the seventh grade now draws Tk 4,050 per month, while pensioners with the same status and pay scale retired under the eighth NPS draw Tk 28,534. The pension of eighth NPS is equivalent to or more than 390 percent of that of the fourth, 260 percent of that of fifth, 219 percent of that of the sixth and 194 percent of that of the seventh NPS.

The man who retired under third NPS is now 85-89 years old. Those who retired under the fifth or above are also now around 70. These retirees are incapable of doing any job or business. Many of them are detached from their families because their children are also now old and retired. These pensioners have no one to look after them.

Therefore, we appeal to the government to increase their pension so that disparity among pay scales reduces to a reasonable level.

Wahidul Islam Akhand, By email