The Prime Minister today met with a taxi driver and gave him a reward of Nu.50, 000.
Tashi Dawa makes his living as a taxi driver. He does not even own a taxi. But last month when he found a bag full of money, he returned the bag to its rightful owner, the money untouched.
Tashi Dawa found the bag lying by the roadside, unattended, near the regional revenue and customs office. He looked and waited for the owner.
When nobody turned up to claim the bag, he took it home. Inside the bag, he discovered bundles of money in various currencies amounting to Nu.9, 0382,000.
Even though he is struggling to raise his family, the thought of keeping the money for himself never crossed his mind. Instead, he was preoccupied with what the owner would be going through.
When he saw an announcement for the lost money, he immediately reached for the phone and called up the number given in the announcement.
The very next day, he returned the money. It was lost by an employee of the Bank of Bhutan branch office in Paro.
In gratitude, the employee gave him Nu.300, 000 as reward. The bank gave him another Nu.100, 000.
The Prime Minister said what he did is exemplary.
“You are a simple man who drives somebody’s vehicle on rent to make a living. You found a bag full of money. If you had kept it for yourself, it would be enough for a lifetime. But you did not keep it because you have principles and values.”
As a token of appreciation, the Prime Minister gave Tashi Dawa Nu.50, 000 on behalf of the government.