A pension scheme for private sector would be introduced by 2019, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said on Friday when he was responding to various questions from media at the post-budget briefing at the city's Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

He said the pension for the private sector would be incorporated in the National Social Safety Net programme.

Earlier on Thursday, the finance minister in his budget speech in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) announced introduction of the pension scheme for semi-government and private sector employees.

The minister said that the government had taken a plan to introduce a universal pension scheme under integrated structure for all employees who are involved in private sector and semi-government organizations formally or informally.

"The scheme would ensure financial and social protection of the senior citizens in one hand and create a supportive fund in fulfilling the long-term investment including ensuring depth of the financial sector on the other", he said.

BSS/RI