Alimuzzaman : A total of 220 officers and employees of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC), including 45 individuals who joined in 2022, have received recreation allowances amounting to Tk 27.36 lakh. The allowances were disbursed via online banking on Monday (November 25) during a ceremony held at the BRTC head office. The event was chaired by Md Tajul Islam, the current chairman of BRTC.

Although the government introduced a rest and recreation allowance in 1999, BRTC employees have only started receiving this benefit since 2023, following an initiative by the current chairman. Between 2023 and now, BRTC has disbursed a total of Tk 4.61 crore in allowances to 3,057 officers and employees.  According to government regulations, employees are entitled to an allowance equivalent to one month’s basic salary and 15 days of recreation leave every three years.

Under the leadership of Md Tajul Islam, BRTC has seen notable improvements in its operations, including bus and truck services, driver training programmes, and overall organisational efficiency. This has enabled the corporation to ensure regular salaries and allowances are paid on the 1st of every month. Furthermore, BRTC has introduced entertainment allowances to encourage accountability and productivity among its employees. Despite the absence of new vehicles after 2021, BRTC has managed to pay around Tk 12.5 crore in benefits to its workforce. The current administration emphasizes equality, ensuring that all officers and employees receive benefits based on merit, irrespective of political affiliations.