Judges to get Tk 30 lakh interest-free loan for car purchase

DHAKA, December 13, 2024 (BSS) – The government is going to provide Taka 30 lakh as interest-free loan to each of the judges for purchasing a car, paying necessary expenses such as registration fees, fitness and tax token.

“Taka 30 lakh will be provided in a single installment as an interest-free loan for purchase of a car and payment of other concomitant charges such as registration, fitness and tax token fees, as per Provision 6 (4) of the Bangladesh Judicial Service Members Interest Free Scheme Loan Collection and Transport Services Policy, 2024,” a Gazette notification of the Law and Justice Division said.

Signed by Secretary of the Law and Justice Division Sheikh Abu Taher, the gazette notification stated that a service charge of 1% (one percent) would be imposed for obtaining the loan.

“Members of the Bangladesh Judicial Service, District Judges, Additional District Judges and Judicial Officers equivalent to Joint District Judges, who have spent 15 years in the Bangladesh Judicial Service, and Principal Secretary or Secretary of the Law and Justice Division judiciary, appointed from Bangladesh Judicial service would benefit from this,” said another gazette notification issued in this regard on December 12.

Judges, who will purchase a vehicle under this policy, will also receive Taka 50,000 per month to pay the driver’s salary and cover fuel costs.

The decision follows Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed’s directive to formulate a policy to provide adequate transportation services to judges in the country. The Chief Justice, while declaring a road map for the judiciary on September 21, reiterated the call for providing adequate transportation services for judges of lower courts.

“The fact that judges working in subordinate courts are not provided with adequate vehicles, with appropriate status and facilities compared to other public servants of the republic, is a form of discrimination,” he said that day.

Referring to the directions of the Chief Justice in this regard, the Supreme Court administration on December 1 sent a letter to the Finance Ministry to take necessary steps in this regard.