The civil society representatives Wednesday demanded the direct inclusion of income taxpayers into the universal pension scheme (UPS), which is expected to be announced in the national budget for the fiscal year 2022-23.

They also urged the government to take everyone's opinion into account to design an effective and sustainable scheme at a pre-budget seminar organised by COAST Foundation in Dhaka.

Ahsanul Karim, assistant director at COAST Trust, said constitutionally Bangladesh is a welfare state but the approach of the UPS is somehow a commercial instead of being a rights-based one.

The income taxpayers will have to be included directly into the UPS as they are key resource mobilisers to develop the country and have the right to get the benefit, he said.

Barrister Shamim Haider MP said the proposed UPS is like an investment instrument that needs to be revised for shaping an institutional framework to serve everyone based on their economic status. "The change has to be made before submitting it to the cabinet."

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COAST Foundation Chairman Dr Tofail Ahmed said the UPS is now one of the options that can benefit the people who pay taxes directly and indirectly.

He recommended bringing the "zakat fund" under a regulatory framework in mobilising substantial resources for UPS through paying tax incentives.

Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) Chairman Dr Quazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said: "Poor people must be supported through the pension scheme. So, make the pension scheme people-focused within the quickest time," he said.