Higher pays, perks for MD, two directors in 3 gas cos

Objective of such higher salaries against the top posts is to ensure efficient services. However, concerned circles apprehend that it could create anomaly in overall salary structure.

The appointments to the posts of managing director, director (operation) and director (finance) were given to fulfil the conditions of Asian Development Bank (ADB) for its Dhaka Clean Fuel Project, sources said.

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In providing credits for the 113 million US dollar project, the ADB put a condition that recruitment to the key positions of three gas companies would have to be made on competitive basis, offering higher salaries.

Main objective of such appointments in Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd., Gas Transmission Company Ltd. (GTCL) and Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Ltd. (RPGCL) is to ensure efficiency in the potential energy sector, sources added.

Experts, however, have a different opinion. They say pay hike only for three key posts will not generate efficiency unless all the officials and employees are well paid and get incentives.

"Our government pay scale is ridiculous. It's more frustrating for the people working in the energy sector which is a strategic one and very important for country's overall development," said Prof M Tamim of BUET.

About the appointments to the key posts against high salaries, he said it is meant for infusing efficiency into the companies. "But it'll not bring any good unless others are paid properly," he said.

Since the companies cannot change the government pay scale, he suggested developing some alternative arrangements for encouraging pay for officials-employees of the strategic sector.

As the BUET teacher made the observations on Sunday at a roundtable marking the government's two-year performance in the sector, State Minister for Energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain maintained the views.

The highly paid new MDs are M Abdullah (Titas), Monjur Morshed Talukdar (GTCL) and MA Wadud (RPGCL). The newly appointed directors (operation) are Aminur Rahman (Titas), Kh. A Saleque (GTCL) and Kamruzzaman (RPGCL).

They were selected by a government committee that made recommendation for the appointments after interviewing a number of applicants working with different government organisations, mainly in the energy sector.