Why more fund?

The law ministry has asked the chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal why his office sought “apparently high amount of money”.

The prosecutor's office had sought Tk 1.5 crore as risk allowance for its prosecutors and staff, and Tk 25 lakh travel allowances. 

For instance, the prosecutors had used Tk 5 lakh on travel allowance last fiscal year but this year the prosecutor's office want five times more.

In June, the prosecutor's office also sought Tk 72 lakh for buying two vehicles, Tk 40 lakh for fuel, Tk 10 lakh for books and periodicals, Tk 12 lakh for transport cost, Tk 5 lakh for computers and other equipment, Tk 5 lakh for furniture, and Tk 10 lakh for other expenditures.

Senior Assistant Secretary Miazi Shahidul Alam Choudhury of the law ministry on Tuesday asked for an explanation saying “the amount of money sought [by prosecution office] for the said sectors seemed to be high”.

Prosecutor Hrishikesh Saha, also the drawing and disbursing officer of the prosecution, said the law ministry seeking explanation was not an “unusual matter”.

He said risk allowance was yet to be disbursed for the month of June due to “temporary shortage of funds”.

Acting chief prosecutor Syed Haidar Ali said they had sought more allocation for risk allowance, which is 70 percent of the basic salary of a prosecutor, as they were going to recruit more people this year.

On travel allowance, he said last year's allocation was not enough and that they had exceeded their fund limit.

Several prosecutors had told this correspondent that they did not get their risk allowance for the month of June even though they got their salaries.