No need to run from pillar to post for retirement benefits 

 
 
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said retired teachers of private educational institutions will no longer have to go from one office to another to receive their retirement benefits.

He said the government will make every effort to ensure that retired teachers receive the money they are entitled to directly in their bank accounts through an online system and on time.

The Prime Minister made the remarks at a ceremony held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital on Saturday to distribute retirement and welfare benefits among private teachers and employees.

He said steps will be taken so that teachers do not suffer or face harassment from middlemen while receiving their benefits.

Around 123,000 retired teachers of private schools, colleges and madrasas are receiving part of their savings from two funds after a long wait of four years since 2022.

Tarique Rahman blamed irregularities and looting during the previous government for the financial crisis of the Retirement Benefits Board and the Teachers-Employees Welfare Trust.

He said the two funds had almost become bankrupt. The current government has therefore taken an initiative to pay the retired teachers under special management.

Recalling the initiatives of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman said the Teachers-Employees Welfare Trust was established in 1991 and the Retirement Benefits Board in 2002 on her initiative.

The Prime Minister also spoke about the wider role of teachers in society.

He said teachers’ responsibilities do not end after retirement. They can continue to play the role of a guiding light in society until the last day of their lives.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon, other concerned ministers and advisers, government officials and retired teachers attended the programme.

The government has taken an initiative to establish five specialized 200-bed children’s hospitals in Khulna, Barisal, Rangpur, Rajshahi and Comilla.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said the hospitals are expected to be launched simultaneously in October.

He made the statement while inaugurating the newly constructed 500-bed building of the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in the capital.

The Prime Minister said a modern healthcare system is not only about increasing infrastructure and using advanced technology.

It also requires skilled manpower, good governance and timely policies to ensure accessible, affordable and quality healthcare for all.

He said the newly constructed 500-bed building has modern ICU facilities, operation theatres, advanced diagnostic services and specialized wards.

The new facilities will increase the hospital’s capacity to treat neurological diseases. They will also create more opportunities for research and higher education.

Tarique Rahman said the country is facing a growing need for specialized treatment for stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, dementia and complex spinal diseases.

He said the new facility, named “Neuroscience-2”, has been built to provide advanced neurosurgical treatment to ordinary people at an affordable cost.

He said compassionate behaviour, careful listening and respectful treatment by doctors and health workers can improve the quality of healthcare.

The Prime Minister’s wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman, Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain, Social Welfare Minister Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain and concerned officials were present at the inauguration programme.