Pension-seeking retired officials and employees of Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB) and Postal Department and their relatives are apparently held hostage by the staff of General Post Office (GPO) who disburse the pension.

Hundreds of retired government employees and their relatives who have been gathering at the GPO for the last few days to collect their pension ahead of Eid were harassed in many ways by the GPO staff, the victims alleged.

"This is the fourth day I have come to receive the pension and only today I see some hope to get it," said a 55-year-old woman standing in a long queue. "But I had to giveTk 100 to one clerk to get the serial first," said the widow of an official.

The aged persons suffered the most as there is not enough space to sit there while waiting for receiving the pension. Moreover, they had to come several times.

The GPO staff are supposed to disburse both pension and bonus but they are giving only bonus, another womah alleged. "None is getting serial without payingbribe."

Mohammad Dulal who came to collect the pension and bonus of his uncle at 9:00am yesterday said his pension book was registered at 12 noon. "I am yet to get the serial number," Dulal toldThe Daily Star at around 1:00pm.

The pensioners said the pension disbursement procedure is too lengthy and troublesome. They have to get their pension books registered first. Then those are sent to the clerks who delay signing the books for payment, they alleged.

The government this year began to disburse festival bonus to the pensioners for the first time. To receive the bonus the recipients needed to fill up a different form but the GPO staff also harassed them while distributing the form.

Although the form is supposed to be distributed for free, some staff charged Tk 20 to Tk 30 from the pensioners, another retired official alleged.

Many people came to collect pension and Eid bonus but returned with only bonus, which is 50 percent of one month's pension. Jahanara Begum, an aggrieved pensioner said, "What will I do with this little amount of money?"

"I have come here to collect my pension of last 5 months," the 62-year-old woman added. Finding the long queue she decided to go back home and come after Eid.

A section of GPO staff allegedly told the retired officials and their relatives that they would not get the bonus after Eid if they fail to collect it by yesterday. When asked, an accountant at GPO could not give satisfactory reply.

Nawshad Kamal, who regularly collects the pension of his father, received Tk 100 less than what she was supposed to get for a month. "I did not know the correct figure. I noticed it when I calculated the amount later. I do not know why theypaidmeless."

When The Daily Star correspondent drew attention of Senior Accountant Mohammad Amanullah about the numerous complaints of the pensioners, he denied the allegations and said, "You better go there and see."