, Aug. 28 -- Over 5,000 government officials and employees working in Cumilla city have been deprived of the additional house rent allowance available to their counterparts in other designated city areas for years, leaving them facing a long-standing disparity in pay and benefits.

The disparity has also raised concerns over income tax, as officials and employees working in the city say they are required to pay additional income tax applicable to employees in city areas despite not receiving the corresponding higher house rent allowance.

Seeking an end to the disparity, Cumilla City Corporation Administrator Md Yousuf Mollah has appealed to the Ministry of Finance to recognise Cumilla as an expensive city and extend the additional house ...