1. (1) This Act may be called the Ministers, Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers (Remuneration and Privileges) Act, 1973. (2) It shall come into force at once.

2. (1) In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,-(a) “family”, in relation to a Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister, means his ¹[spouse] and children residing with and wholly dependent on him;(b) “maintenance”, in relation to an official residence, includes the payment of local rates and taxes and the provision of telephone, electricity, gas and water;(c) “official residence” means the house reserved from time to time for the use of a Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister and includes the staff quarters and other buildings appurtenant thereto, and the gardens of the residence.²[;(d) “home residence” means the own residence of a Minister other than the official residence.] (2) Other words and expressions used in this Act and not defined shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Fundamental and Supplementary Rules.

3. ³[***] There shall be paid per mensem to a Minister a salary of Taka ⁴[1,05,000], a Minister of State Taka ⁵[92,000] and a Deputy Minister Taka ⁶[86,500].⁷[***]

(2) The salary of a Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister shall not be liable to any tax.

4. (1) A Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister shall be entitled to receive travelling expenses to the extent mentioned below for the journey from his ordinary place of residence to the seat of the Government on taking up office and from the seat of the Government to his ordinary place of residence on laying down office- (a) the actual travelling expenses for himself and his family; (b) the cost of transporting household effects, not exceeding ⁸[4,500 kilogram], by goods train, steamer or other craft, excluding aircraft, and his personal car, if any.

(2) A Minister ⁹[or a Minister of State] shall, in addition to the travelling expenses mentioned in sub-section (1), be entitled to the cost of transporting personal servants, not exceeding two, by the lowest class of accommodation. (3) No travelling expense shall be admissible under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) if the journey or transportation is not performed or effected within six months of the date of taking up or laying down the office, as the case may be.

¹⁰[5. There shall be paid per mensem a sumptuary allowance of Taka ¹¹[10,000] to a Minister, Taka ¹²[7,500] to a Minister of State and Taka ¹³[5,000] to a Deputy Minister.]

¹⁴[6. A Minister, Minister of State or a Deputy Minister shall be entitled to use of-(a) an official car maintained at Government expense; and(b) an additional Jeep for essential official business, particularly for travelling on official tour outside Dhaka to be provided by the attached Department/ Corporation/ Directorate of the Ministries/ Divisions concerned. In case the directorates or agencies cannot provide the transport, Finance Ministry will allocate necessary fund for procurement of the transport. The expenditure thereupon shall be subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by the Government.]

7. (1) A Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister shall be entitled, without payment of rent, to the use of an official residence and ¹⁵[no charge shall fall on him in respect of its maintenance.]

(2) An official residence shall be furnished by the Government at a cost- (a) not exceeding Taka ¹⁶[5,00,000] in the case of a Minister; and (b) not exceeding Taka ¹⁷[4,00,000] in the case of a Minister of State or Deputy Minister; and the items of furniture and other materials with which such residence may be furnished shall be determined by the Government.

¹⁸[(4A) Where a Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister chooses to reside in his own house, and such house has no guard shed for accommodating house guard, the Government may construct a temporary guard shed in that house at an expenditure not exceeding Taka ¹⁹[40,000]; and the guard shed so constructed shall be dismantled and removed when the Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister ceases to hold office.]

(5) A Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister shall be entitled to reside in his official residence or in the residence hired by him for a period of one month immediately after laying down his office and no charge in respect thereof shall fall on him during that period.

²⁰[(3) If a Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister resides in a house other than his official residence, he shall be entitled to receive; (a) as house rent an amount of-(i) Taka 80,000 per mensem, in the case of a Minister;(ii) Taka 70,000 per mensem, in the case of a Minister of State or Deputy Minister; and(b) every year for maintenance of such house, an amount equivalent to three months house rent admissible to him under this section; and(c) all costs for supply of electricity, gas, water, telephone and the like at such residence.] ²¹[***]

8. (1) Subject to the provisions made hereinafter, a Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister travelling on official duty shall be treated as a very important person. (2) When travelling by rail- (a) a Minister shall be entitled- (i) to requisition at the cost of the Government a reserved railway saloon, if available, or a two-berthed or four-berthed first class compartment including an air-conditioned compartment, if available on the train; (ii) to take with him up to two personal attendants by the lowest class of accommodation when travelling by a two-berthed or four-berthed railway compartment; (iii) to the carriage of personal luggage up to ²²[112 kilogram] when travelling by a railway compartment or up to ²³[224 kilogram] when travelling by a requisitioned railway saloon; and (iv) to take with him, without payment of any fare, the members of his family, not exceeding four, when travelling in a requisitioned railway compartment or a saloon; and ²⁴[(aa) a Minister of State shall be entitled- (i) to requisition at the cost of the Government a reserved railway saloon, if available, or a two-berthed or four-berthed first class compartment including an air-conditioned compartment, if available on the train; (ii) to take with him one personal attendant by the lowest class of accommodation on the train; and (iii) to the carriage of personal luggage up to ²⁵[112 kilogram]; and] (b) ²⁶[* * *] a Deputy Minister shall be entitled- (i) to the highest class of accommodation on the train; (ii) to take with him one personal attendant by the lowest class of accommodation on the train; and (iii) to the carriage of personal luggage up to ²⁷[112 kilogram]. (3) When travelling by steamer- (a) a Minister shall be entitled- (i) to the actual fare paid for himself and one incidental fare (without diet) of the highest class of accommodation in addition to the actual fare paid for himself; (ii) to take with him four members of his family; (iii) to take with him up to two personal attendants by the lowest class of accommodation; and (iv) to the carriage of personal luggage up to ²⁸[112 kilogram]; and ²⁹[(aa) a Minister of State shall be entitled- (i) to draw the actual fare paid for himself; (ii) to take with him four members of his family; (iii) to take with him one personal attendant by the lowest class of accommodation; (iv) to the carriage of personal luggage up to ³⁰[112 kilogram]; and] (b) a ³¹[* * *] Deputy Minister shall be entitled- (i) to draw the actual fare paid for himself; (ii) to take with him one personal attendant by the lowest class of accommodation; (iii) to the carriage of personal luggage up to ³²[112 kilogram]. (4) A Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister may, if the public interest so demands, travel by air, and when so travelling- (a) a Minister shall be entitled- (i) to the actual air fare paid for himself; (ii) to the cost of transporting personal luggage up to ³³[45.00 kilogram] inclusive of the free allowance given by the air company; (iii) to requisition at the cost of the Government, if he considers it necessary in the public interest, an aeroplane, or a helicopter, belonging to the Government, subject to availability, in accordance with the rules ³⁴[made by the Government or, if such aeroplane or a helicopter is not available, to hire at the cost of the Government an aeroplane or a helicopter belonging to any other body or authority, the manner of use of which shall be determined by the Government]. (iv) to take with him one member of his family when travelling by a commercial aeroplane or such number of members of his family as may be accommodated in the aeroplane when travelling by a requisitioned aeroplane; (v) either or take with him at Government cost by air one personal attendant or peon or to the cost of transporting up to two personal attendants by the lowest class of accommodation and of transporting personal luggage up to ³⁵[112 kilogram] by rail or steamer; and ³⁶[(aa) a Minister of State shall be entitled- (i) to the actual air fare paid for himself; (ii) to the cost of transporting personal luggage up to ³⁷[34 kilogram] inclusive of the free allowance given by the air company; ³⁸[(iii) to send indent for, if he considers it necessary in the public interest, an aeroplane or a helicopter, belonging to the Government subject to availability, in accordance with the rules made by the Government or, if such aeroplane or helicopter is not available, to hire at the cost of the Government an aeroplane or a helicopter belonging to any other body or authority or organisation, the manner of use of which shall be determined by the Government.] (iv) to take with him at Government cost by air one personal attendant or peon; and] (b) a ³⁹[* * *] Deputy Minister shall be entitled- (i) to the actual air fare paid for himself; (ii) to the cost of transporting personal luggage up to [34.00 kilogram] inclusive of the free allowance given by the air company; ⁴⁰[(iii) to send indent for, if he considers it necessary in the public interest, an aeroplane or a helicopter, belonging to the Government subject to availability, in accordance with the rules made by the Government or, if such aeroplane or helicopter is not available, to hire at the cost of the Government an aeroplane or a helicopter belonging to any other body or authority or organisation, the manner of use of which shall be determined by the Government.] (5) In respect of a journey performed by road beyond a radius of ⁴¹[8.00 kilometer] from his headquarters, a Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister shall be entitled to the actual cost of transporting- (a) not more than two personal attendants, in the case of a Minister, and one personal attendant, in the case of a Minister of State or Deputy Minister, provided the attendant travelled by a conveyance other than that by which the Minister or the Minister of State or the Deputy Minister travelled; and (b) up to a maximum of ⁴²[112 kilogram] of personal luggage, provided the journey is performed to a place of halt in respect of which daily allowance is admissible.

9. For journeys by air a Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister shall be provided with insurance cover for Taka ⁴³[8,00,000] on annual basis at Government expense.

10. (1) A Minister ⁴⁴[or Minister of State], while on tour, shall be entitled to a daily allowance at the rate of ⁴⁵[Taka ⁴⁶[2,000]] for each day of halt or a part of a day of absence from his headquarters, and such allowance shall be admissible at full rate for the first ten days of each continuous halt, at three-fourths of the full rate for the next twenty days and at half of the full rate thereafter. ⁴⁷[(2) A Deputy Minister, while on tour, shall be entitled to a daily allowance at the rate of ⁴⁸[Taka ⁴⁹[1,500]] for each day of halt or a part of a day of absence from the headquarters, and such allowance shall be admissible at full rate for the first ten days of each continuous halt, at three-fourths of the full rate for the next twenty days and at half of the full rate thereafter.]

(3) A halt on tour shall be treated as continuous halt unless terminated by an absence at a distance from the halting place exceeding ⁵⁰[8.00 kilometer] for a period of not less than seven nights. (4) While on tour, a Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister shall not pay any rent, rate, electricity charge, water charge or conservancy charge for the Circuit House or any other Government accommodation.

11. A Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister shall be his own Controlling Officer.

12. A Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister travelling on official business outside Bangladesh shall be entitled to such allowances as may be prescribed by the Government.

⁵¹[13.(1) A Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister and his family shall be entitled to such medical facilities as may be prescribed by rules made under this Act.(2) Until rules are made under sub-section (1), Medical Attendance Rules, 1950 shall be applicable to a Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister and his family.]

⁵²[14. (1) A Minister or a Minister of State shall be entitled to-(a) one Private Secretary, preferably of the rank of Deputy Secretary to the Government to be appointed at the choice of the Minister or the Minister of State, as the case may be, from amongst Class I Government Servants:Provided that the status of a Private Secretary shall be determined by the ⁵³[Ministry of Establishment];(b) one Assistant Private Secretary, preferably of the rank of ⁵⁴[ Assistant Secretary or Seinor Assistant Secretary], to be appointed at the choice of the Minister or the Minister of State as the case may be, from amongst the Section Officers or from outside:Provided that the status of the Assistant Private Secretary shall, when appointed from outside, be determined by the ⁵⁵[Ministry of Establishment]:Provided further that a person appointed as Assistant Private Secretary from outside shall hold his post during the pleasure of the Minister or the Minister of State as the case may be and so long as the Minister or the Minister of State holds his office;⁵⁶[(c) two Personal Officers of grade 10 of the National Pay Scale or Personal Assistants of grade 14 of the National Pay Scale to be appointed from outside at the choice of the Minister or the Minister of State and such a person shall hold his post during the pleasure of the Minister or the Minister of State, as the case may be, and so long as the Minister or the Minister of State holds his office;](d) one Jamadar;(e) one orderly; ⁵⁷[(f) two ⁵⁸[MLSS] to be appointed at the choice of the Minister or the Minister of State, as the case may be, from outside at a consolidated pay to be fixed by the Government from time to time;(g) one cook to be appointed at the choice of the Minister or the Minister of State, as the case may be, from outside at a consolidated pay to be fixed by the Government from time to time:Provided that a person appointed as peon or cook shall hold his post during the pleasure of the Minister or the Minister of State, as the case may be, and so long as the Minister or the Minister of State holds his office.](2) a Deputy Minister shall be entitled to-(a) one Private Secretary of the rank not above that of a ⁵⁹[Ministry of Establishment], to be appointed at the choice of the Deputy Minister from amongst the ⁶⁰[ Assistant Secretary or Seinor Assistant Secretary] or from outside:Provided that, the rank of the Private Secretary appointed from outside shall be determined by the Establishment Division:Provided further that a person appointed as Private Secretary from outside shall hold his post during the pleasure of the Deputy Minister and so long as the Deputy Minister holds his office;(b) one personal assistant;(c) one Jamadar;(d) one orderly; and ⁶¹[(e) one ⁶²[MLSS] to be appointed at the choice of the Deputy Minister from outside at a consolidated pay to be fixed by the Government from time to time:Provided that a person appointed as peon shall hold his post during the pleasure of the Deputy Minister and so long as the Deputy Minister holds his office.]

15. A Minister shall be entitled to have one telephone installed at his home residence at Government expense where facilities for such installation are available and no charge shall fall on him in respect thereof.

⁶³[15A. A Minister, Minister of State and Deputy Minister shall be entitled to have telephone, internet or Information Communication Technology (ICT) at office & official residence and mobile phone facilities as provided in the Integrated Government Telephone Policies.]

⁶⁴[16A. The Government may, from time to time, by the notification in the official Gazette, issue orders for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

16B. The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act.]

16. (1) There shall be placed at the disposal of a Minister, Minister of State or Deputy Minister as discretionary grant an amount-(a) not exceeding ⁶⁵[Taka ⁶⁶[10,00,000]] per annum, in the case of a Minister;(b) not exceeding ⁶⁷[Taka ⁶⁸[7,50,000]] per annum, in the case of a Minister of State; and(c) not exceeding ⁶⁹[Taka ⁷⁰[5,00,000]] per annum, in the case of a Deputy Minister. (2) The expenditure from the discretionary grant shall be subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by the Government.

17. The Ministers (Remuneration and Privileges) Rules, 1972, the Ministers of State (Remuneration and Privileges) Rules, 1972, the Ministers (Remuneration and Privileges) Ordinance, 1973 (III of 1973), the Ministers of State (Remuneration and Privileges) Ordinance, 1973 (V of 1973) and the Deputy Ministers' (Remuneration and Privileges) Ordinance, 1973 (IV of 1973), are hereby repealed.