The government employees tackling the Covid-19 pandemic on the front lines will get cash compensation only if they submit the application through a specific form along with medical and other relevant documents supporting their claims of getting infected in the line of duty. However, the employees who have taken treatment at home won’t be able to avail this opportunity.
In case of death in the line of duty, an employee’s husband, wife or children, and in case the person was unmarried, his or her parents will apply to the deceased employee’s regulatory authority for the compensation. The applicant will have to submit the death certificate of the deceased and the proof of their relationship with the deceased among other documents.
The regulatory authority will then send the application to the finance ministry through the ministry under which it operates. The finance ministry will then issue a government order to disburse the fund.
The government earlier issued a circular stating: if doctors, nurses and healthcare workers, members of field administration, law enforcement agencies, armed forces and other staff directly involved in managing the crisis, get infected in line of duty will get the compensation ranging from Tk5 lakh to Tk10 lakh.
If any of these employees die, their families will get five times the initial compensation, said the circular, adding that the order would come into effect from April 1. The government will pay this money in addition to any existing financial aid or grant in the case of death of an employee. The employees who have already got infected with or died from coronavirus will be eligible for this facility.
This is worth mentioning that Dr Moyeen Uddin, an assistant professor at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, died from coronavirus at Dhaka's Kurmitola General Hospital on April 15. Besides, seven police personnel also died from the virus in the line of duty. Moreover, several government officials got infected with the virus while discharging duties on the government order.
An official of finance ministry said if the infected employees or families of the deceased employees apply along with supporting documents, they will get the compensation.
Asked, Financial Institutions Division’s Additional Secretary Zakia Sultana said if any government employee dies in line of duty, his or her family usually gets Tk8 lakh.
In case of death by coronavirus, the amount will be Tk25-50 lakh depending on the employee’s grade, she said, adding that application has to be submitted through a specific form along with relevant documents to claim the amount.
Employee undergoing treatment being infected with coronavirus also will have to apply through proper procedure, she added.
/at/teb
