B Mirror Report:  The government has introduced an Online Pension Tracking and Management System (OPTMS) aimed at modernizing pension services, reducing delays and enhancing transparency for retired public servants.

The digital platform was unveiled at a workshop held at the Ministry of Public Administration in the Bangladesh Secretariat on Tuesday. State Minister for Public Administration and Food Md Abdul Bari inaugurated the event, according to a press release.

Speaking as the chief guest, Abdul Bari said the new system would address long-standing challenges faced by pensioners, including procedural complexities, delays in processing applications and the need for repeated visits to government offices.

He said the OPTMS would allow pensioners to submit applications, monitor progress and manage pension-related services online, significantly reducing processing time and improving accountability in public service delivery.

“The digital platform will make pension services more efficient and transparent while reducing unnecessary harassment for retirees,” he said.

The workshop was organised under the Strengthening Public Financial Management Program to Enable Service Delivery (SPFMS) of the Finance Division, through its pension and fund management scheme.

Highlighting the broader benefits of digital governance, the state minister said expanding online government services could help curb corruption by reducing direct interactions between service seekers and officials.

He also called for a review of the existing policy regarding pensioners who surrender 100 percent of their pension benefits, noting that their families remain ineligible for benefit restoration if the pensioner dies before the completion of the 15-year restoration period.

The workshop was chaired by Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Md Ehsanul Hoque, while Finance Division Secretary Dr Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder and Controller General of Accounts S M Rezvi attended as special guests.

Ehsanul Hoque said the lack of a comprehensive database of government employees had long complicated pension processing and suggested creating a dedicated help desk to assist pensioners.

Dr Khairuzzaman Mozumder said many public servants face financial uncertainty after retirement and expressed hope that the OPTMS would ensure easier access to pension services, strengthening retirees’ financial confidence.

He announced that the system would initially be piloted at the Ministry of Public Administration for regular pension cases before being gradually expanded to the Finance Division, the Office of the Controller General of Accounts and other government offices nationwide.

The finance secretary also proposed introducing a “One Rank, One Pension” framework to reduce disparities among retirees and improve their financial security.

S M Rezvi said digitalisation had already improved post-retirement pension management, adding that stronger monitoring mechanisms had enhanced transparency and accountability in pension administration.

Additional Secretary and SPFMS National Program Director Dr Ziaul Abedin highlighted ongoing reforms through the government’s iBAS++ platform, including automated management of General Provident Fund accounts, post-pension benefits, asset management and several other financial services.

According to officials, the OPTMS will enable government employees to submit pension applications online, track file movements in real time and complete pre-retirement formalities without repeated visits to offices.

The system will automatically retrieve service and financial records from iBAS++, reducing manual data entry and minimising errors. It will also integrate with existing digital services such as Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), life verification and pension statement systems.

Under the new arrangement, employees will receive SMS notifications about 11 months before the start of their post-retirement leave, allowing them to begin pension processing well in advance through the online platform.

Participants at the workshop expressed optimism that the OPTMS would deliver faster, more transparent and citizen-friendly pension services across government institutions.

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