The government has launched an Online Pension Tracking and Management System (OPTMS) to streamline pension services, reduce processing delays and ensure transparency in pension services for retired public servants. State Minister for Public Administration and Food Md Abdul Bari inaugurated a workshop on the OPTMS at the Ministry of Public Administration in the Bangladesh Secretariat.
Addressing Pensioners' Sufferings
Speaking as the chief guest, the state minister said the new digital platform would help remove the long-standing sufferings of pensioners during pension application and sanction processes while enhancing transparency and accountability in public service delivery. He noted that retired government employees often face delays, procedural complexities and repeated office visits to process pension-related matters.
Features of OPTMS
Once OPTMS becomes fully operational, pensioners will be able to track and manage their applications digitally, significantly reducing processing time and harassment. The system will enable government employees to submit pension applications online, monitor file movements in real time and complete pre-retirement pension formalities without repeated visits to government offices.
The system will automatically retrieve service records and financial information from iBAS++, reducing manual data entry and minimizing processing errors. Pension payment through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), life verification and pension statements have already been digitized. The OPTMS is expected to integrate the more complex pre-retirement stage into a fully digital workflow.
Workshop Insights
The workshop was organized by the Scheme on Pension, Fund Management, and Quality and Timeliness of Financial Reporting under the Strengthening Public Financial Management Program to Enable Service Delivery (SPFMS) of the Finance Division. Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Md Ehsanul Hoque chaired the event, with Finance Division Secretary Dr Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder and Controller General of Accounts S M Rezvi attending as special guests.
Md Ehsanul Hoque said the absence of a comprehensive database of government employees had long complicated pension sanction procedures. Maintaining an updated employee database would significantly simplify pension approvals, he said, adding that a dedicated help desk for pensioners could further facilitate access to services. Dr Khairuzzaman Mozumder suggested considering the introduction of a 'One Rank, One Pension' system to reduce disparities among retirees and strengthen their financial security.
Challenges and Expectations
The workshop also discussed challenges related to office mapping, no-objection certificates (NOCs), manual records, audit objections and legal issues. Participants expressed confidence that OPTMS would ensure faster, more transparent and citizen-friendly pension services across the government.
