30,000 register for Universal Pension since Thursday
Contribution of Tk1 crore deposited during the time
A total of 30,000 aspiring pensioners have so far registered for the much-hyped Universal Pension Scheme till 6pm yesterday since its rollout on Thursday.
More than 2,000 of these contributors have submitted the first instalments, totalling approximately Tk1 crore.
"The response garnered on the first day is encouraging. The number of people interested in public pension will increase in the coming days," Bilquis Jahan Rimi, additional secretary (Regulation) of the finance ministry, told The Business Standard yesterday.
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"Everything related to the pension scheme – from the registration process to payment of deposits – can be done online 24 hours a day. So, people are registering at their convenient time.
"The number of applicants is increasing every moment," she said.
Rimi said if anyone fails to register for the pension scheme online, it can also be done at any branch of Sonali Bank.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday inaugurated the Universal Pension Scheme through a videoconference from her official Ganabhaban residence.
Initially, four types of packages – Pragati, Surokkha, Samata and Prabashi – were introduced for people of four different types of communities.
Another two types of packages will be launched later for the working class and students.
After registering for the public pension scheme, a pensioner will be able to enjoy lifetime pension benefits only from the age of 60. If the contributor dies, his/her nominee will receive the pension. In this case, the nominee can receive the pension up to the time when the depositor would have turned 75.
