Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon -File Photo

SANGSAD BHABAN, April 23, 2026 (BSS) - Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon today said in Jatiya Sangsad that the government has stepped up efforts to expedite the disbursement of retirement and welfare benefits to teachers and employees of non-government educational institutions, addressing long-standing delays with a series of targeted measures.

Milon also said the issue is being treated with utmost priority and that concrete steps have already been taken to resolve it.

The Minister said this while replying to a scripted question from opposition lawmaker Md Rayhan Shirazi (Rangpur-1) in the House today.

According to official data, a total of 80,320 applications are currently pending with the Non-Government Teachers and Employees Retirement Benefits Board, involving an estimated Tk 9,638 crore.

“Of these, around 59,820 applications remain unsettled, requiring approximately Tk 7,176 crore,” he said.
For the current 2025–2026 fiscal year, the government has set a target to dispose of about 20,500 applications, with an allocation plan of Tk 2,462 crore, he said.

Already, some 6,000 applications have been settled, with around Tk 700 crore disbursed. The remaining funds are expected to cover payments for nearly 14,500 more beneficiaries, he said.

Meanwhile, the Welfare Trust for non-government teachers and employees continues its regular disbursement of welfare allowances. 

The trust is primarily financed through a 4 percent contribution from the salaries of MPO-listed teachers and staff. However, while its annual income stands at around Tk 660 crore, expenditure amounts to about Tk 840 crore, creating a yearly shortfall of roughly Tk 180 crore.

To address the funding gap and accelerate benefit disbursement, Milon said the government has undertaken several initiatives. 

These include efforts to increase allocations to the Welfare Trust, consideration of at least Tk 200 crore annual support from the national budget, and plans to transform the trust into a revenue-generating entity through the construction of its own building and education complex.

In addition, the minister said steps are being taken to bring the trust under tax-exempt status, which could result in annual savings of around Tk 7 crore.

To enhance transparency and efficiency, an online application system has been in operation since 2018. 

From January 1, 2025, the process has been integrated into the iBAS++ platform, allowing direct transfer of funds to beneficiaries’ bank accounts.

The Minister added that through the implementation of various government initiatives, it will be possible to ensure the timely disbursement of welfare allowances and retirement benefits for private teachers and employees. “Activities in this regard are ongoing,” he said.