Bankers infected with Covid-19 to get health insurance of up to Tk10 lakh
If any bank employee dies from the virus, their family will get a grant of five times higher than the certain health insurance
The Bangladesh Bank has instructed banks to provide health insurance coverage of up to Tk10 lakh for the treatment of bankers if they get infected with Covid-19 while attending office physically during the general holyday announced to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
If any bank employee dies from the virus, their family will get a grant of five times higher than the certain health insurance, the Bangladesh Bank said in a circular issued on Wednesday.
"If any of the bankers, who are doing their duties being physically present at the banks, get infected with Covid-19, they will receive Tk5 lakh to Tk10 lakh based on their ranks as health insurance money," said the circular issued by the central bank's Banking Regulation & Policy Department.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The circular further says that the money has to be paid by the respective banks within 15 days and the bank will have to bear the full medical cost of the patient.
The circular further mentioned that banks would bear all expenses if any banker falls into any sorts of accidents while going to their workplace during the time of the general holidays.
The health insurance and special grant will be applicable to any banker infected with COVID-19 since the beginning of the government-announced holidays and within 30 days after the holidays.
On Sunday, the Bangladesh Bank issued another circular saying employees of all banks would be paid double their monthly basic salary for being present at their workplaces for 10 days during the general holidays.
As per that instruction, for all employees – contractual or permanent, the monthly special incentive allowance will be minimum Tk30,000 and maximum Tk1 lakh.
"Bank employees are risking their lives to keep our economy functional, so they need to get extra payment and health insurance," said Abu Farah Md Naser, executive director of the Bangladesh Bank.
"We have prepared the instructions for bank employees under the guidance of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina," he added.
