Public servants who are engaged as frontline COVID-19 fighters will get up to Tk 1.0 million as compensation if they get infected with the deadly virus during their duty.

The amount of compensation will be five times if any of them dies from the disease.

The finance ministry on Thursday issued a notification amid worries from the frontline fighters who fear to be exposed to the infection.

Public-sector doctors, nurses, health workers, police, field-level officials, members of other law enforcement agencies including armed forces are eligible for compensation, it said.

It said the government officials of grade 1-9 will get Tk 1.0 million, grade 10-14 will receive Tk 0.75 million and grade 15-20 will get Tk 0.5 million in case of getting infected with coronavirus.

According to a senior finance ministry official, a good number of government officials, including doctors, fell ill in recent days after being exposed to the coronavirus while working to prevent the menace.

A doctor of a public hospital also died from the coronavirus which caused outcry at home and abroad.

As the disease turned pandemic, the frontline fighters got panicked and some showed reluctance to stay active in absence of any compensation.

So, the government came up with the step to give them mental support that the administration is with them and their family members if any incident happens, the official told the FE.

The notification elaborated the compensation application procedures and said it will take effect from April 01 this year.

The compensation will be in addition to existing benefits given to a government employee in case of their death during duty, it added.

As of Thursday, some 4,186 people tested positive for coronavirus and 127 died in Bangladesh.

syful-islam@outlook.com