The Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (FDC) has sought a grant of Tk 21 crore from the finance ministry to meet the March salaries and other expenses of its officers and employees.
It is learned that as there is no money in the FDC's own fund, 261 officials and employees have to rely entirely on grants to pay their salaries for the month March and April. This is what the managing director (additional responsibility) of the corporation Nuzhat Yasmin said to the media.
She added, “Every year, the FDC runs on a financial deficit. Some information was sought from the finance ministry on March 23 in response to a request for a grant of Tk 21 crore to meet the deficit. However, it could not be gotten as the office was closed; I sent it on Thursday.”
Although the FDC paid its employees until February with its own income and a small grant, they no longer have the financial means, said the managing director. She added, “We have tried to pay the previous salaries from our own income. In the mean time I also got a grant of taka three crore.
From there we were able to pay the salaries until February when we added our income with it. Since March we have been unable to do it. We have to rely on the allocation of the finance ministry now.”
General Secretary of the Bangladesh Film Development Craftsmen and Employees League (CBA) Ahsan said that third and fourth class employees of FDC, including security guards and cleaners, are facing financial crisis due to not being able to receive their salaries.