EFT helps pin down two lakh illegal pensioners

Around two lakh 'ghostly' beneficiaries have been identified in the pension scheme for retired government employees under the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).

Of these, the accounts of 1.5 lakh illegal pensioners have been blocked. Another 50,000 accounts are in the process of closing, according to government run EFT programmes data.

It is learnt that even after the death of the pensioners, government funds have been deposited in their accounts year after year. A fraudulent ring pocketed large sums of money through the connivance of the people involved in various branches of the state-owned banks. Such fraudulent activities were easily committed as all the pension related activities including payment to the concerned person were done under a manual system. Those who are concerned have not been able to say exactly when and how much money were laundered. However, it has been seen that in the last financial year (2019-20) about Tk 2400 crore went into the pockets of that cronies.

Recently, the finance ministry briefed the cabinet on the pension activities of retired government employees through EFT.

A report on the benefits of pensioners since 2015 will be presented before the cabinet. The Ministry of Finance has made all kinds of preparations in this regard.

Chief Accounts Finance Officer of the Government Pension and Fund Management Unit Mohammad Mominul Haque Bhuiyan said that 150,000 accounts have already been blocked as the real pensioners were not found or have died. No money will be deposited in these accounts in future as beneficiaries ceased to exist. It is estimated that more than 50,000 ghost pensioners may exist.

However, on the occasion of Sheikh Mujib's birth centenary, 100 per cent pension activities will be brought under EFT by February 15. The accounts office instructed those concerned not to pay any pensioner by cheque or advice.

He added that once a year, the pensioner has to report to the accounts office in person. This will ensure that the pensioner is alive.

Executive Director of Transparency International of Bangladesh (TIB) Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said it has been identified digitally which is positive and expected. The purpose for which it was done, especially to stop corruption and irregularities, has been brought under control.

He also said that the two lakh ghost pensions have been identified which is not enough.

“My idea is that if the government is little more active in this regard, it will be possible to identify the people who have taken advantage of this” he said adding that they should be identified and brought to justice.

According to the Pension and Management Unit, a total of 7,90,000 pensioners have been identified through the current software called 'IBAS++'. Of these, 45,000 are railway pensioners, 1,85,000 are defense pensioners and the remaining 670,000 pensioners are civilian.

However, the accounts of the railway and defense pensioners are maintained separately. Railway pension is being paid in cash or cheque by the Ministry of Railways.

It is learnt that the Ministry of Finance has taken initiative to bring pension activities online or paying the same through bank accounts from December 2015.

As a result, a software called 'IBAS++' was launched in July 2019. Prior to the commencement of this system, the number of retired pensioners and government employees were 6,20,000. But after the launching of the software, the number of actual pensioners stood at 7,70,000. In other words, 1,50,000 ghost pensioners were identified.

According to the concerned, money was withdrawn in their name year after year even after the death of retired officers and employees under the manual system. Banks used to pay huge sums of money to the finance ministry every year. Since then, the ministry has been releasing money as per their demand.

Through this process, thousands of crores of taka of the state went into the pockets of fraudsters every year. But after the introduction of ‘IBAS ++, every pensioner is registered with a national identity card number and the process of paying money by opening their own bank account begins. Then the ghost pensioners were identified.

The senior official concerned said that most of the pensioners withdraw their money mainly from the upazila branches of the state-owned banks. It is assumed by the government that the officials of those banks know all the pension beneficiaries of the upazila.

If someone goes to collect pension with fake documents and the bank officials pay even after realizing it, then the fake pensioner has collusion with those officials. As a result, it is difficult to identify them. Thus the incidents of such fraud went on year after year.

According to the concerned sources, out of the total 7,90,000 pensioners of civil, defense and railway, 5,35,535 people have been brought under EFT. Of these, 4,71,000 out of 6,70,000 civilian pensioners have come under EFT.

Another 1,99,000 pensioners remain out of EFT. State-owned banks have been asked to provide information on these pensioners. It is estimated that more than 50,000 ghost pensioners will be identified amongst those remain out of EFT.

Besides 22,006 out of 45,000 pensioners of railways and 41,573 out of 1,75,000 pensioners of defense will be under EFT respectively. These pensioners have their own bank accounts. Pension money will be paid directly to the bank.

According to the Ministry of Finance, from July to February this year, Tk 10,311 crore has been released for the purpose of paying off the pension.