‘Live verification’ of pensioners through app in the offing

The government is introducing app for identifying senior and sick pensioners so that they are not required to visit the pension office to claim their retirement income from the next fiscal year.

Currently, all pensioners have to visit pension offices at least once a year for identity verification.

In the expiring 2020-21 fiscal, the pension fund stands at Tk 26,690 crore of which Tk 16,566 crore have already been distributed until April 30, officials said.

Bangladesh has a total of 7,48,000 pensioners of which old, sick and vulnerable pensioners comprise some 2,00,000, statistics show. Officials said the number of pensioners under the category may increase amid the spread of coronavirus.

An official of the Finance Division said a pension officer will be able to identify a pensioner through a ‘live verification’ process employed by ‘Amar Pension’ app. It can detect a face possibly without any error.

The pension money would be handed over to the client after ensuring his or her identity, the official said.

Amina Haque, a daughter of a pensioner, said it is a cumbersome job for their family to bring their old father to a Bangladesh Bank branch in old Dhaka.

“If that app is introduced, it will save our time and money and that we will be freed from hassles of travelling back and forth,” she told Business Insider Bangladesh.

Former finance adviser to caretaker government Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam said rendering public services will be easier if the government introduces such a technology.

“The public money and the pensioners’ expenditure could be cut if we use the app,” he said.

The app matches a picture of a pensioner as the man or woman appears live before the verification page.

If the picture could not be verified, the client will need to book an appointment with a pension officer, said the government document.

According to the Finance Division, a total of 4,500 new pensioners will be added to the country’s pension scheme from the ensuing fiscal year for which an additional fund of Tk 2200 crore will be needed.

Out of the total 748,000 pensioners, the nation has some 5,53,000 civil servants and some 1,51,000 army, navy and air force retirees.

Bangladesh Railway comprises 44,000 pensioners while the rest are from various civil services.

The government introduced electronic fund transfer for the distribution of pensions three years ago.