The government has taken necessary measures to ensure the swift disbursement of one-off welfare benefits owed to retired teachers and staff of non-government educational institutions, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.
Responding to a query from BNP lawmaker Md Jahander Ali Miha from Madaripur-2, Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon said the Non-Government Teachers' and Staff Welfare Trust, formed under a 1990 law and 1999 regulations, is funded by a 4 percent monthly contribution deducted from the basic salaries of more than half a million teachers and staff at around 30,000 MPO-listed institutions.
He said on August 15, 2026, in the presence of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, a total of Tk413.36 crore was disbursed through iBAS++ to 42,938 retired teachers and staff who applied between May 1, 2023 and June 30, 2026, covering contributions deducted from their salaries during service.
Payments to a further roughly 13,000 applicants are currently underway, the minister added.
To address the long-standing financial difficulties of retired teachers and staff, Tk300 crore has been allocated in the current budget along with Tk1,800 crore through treasury bonds, he said, adding that the remaining dues will be settled in phases, subject to fund release and allocation from the Ministry of Finance, in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.
Milon further told the House that the trust currently earns about Tk 57 crore a month – roughly Tk54 crore from contributions and around Tk 3 crore in interest from fixed deposits and current accounts – against a monthly requirement of about Tk 84 crore for welfare benefits, leaving a monthly shortfall of around Tk 27 crore and an annual shortfall of nearly Tk 324 crore.
He said one-off and regular budgetary allocations, treasury bonds, income-generation initiatives, and a transparent, faster payment system through iBAS++ have been put in place to expedite disbursement.
The minister assured the House that pending applications will be settled in phases, as swiftly as possible, depending on fund availability.