New pay scale likely to get cabinet nod Monday

The proposed new pay scale for government employees is likely to be placed before the cabinet for approval on Monday, an official of the finance ministry told TBS yesterday.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said the gazette notification for the new salary structure will be issued by Thursday if the cabinet approves the proposal. 

He added that preparations are underway to include the pay scale on the agenda for Monday's cabinet meeting, with all background work already finalised. 

However, finance division officials declined to disclose the proposed rates of increase in basic salaries and allowances contained in the final draft.

Earlier, on 16 August, Prime Minister's Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar told journalists that the new pay scale for government employees is at the final stage and could be announced at any time.

On 29 July, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said work is still under way on the proposed ninth pay commission for government employees. He said the proposal would be placed before the cabinet once the work is completed, after which a gazette notification would be issued if approved.

The government formed a 10-member committee on 21 April, headed by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani, to recommend measures for implementing a new pay structure for public servants. The committee has already submitted its recommendations.

According to people familiar with the matter, the committee recommended raising the basic salaries of government employees from grades 1 to 20 by up to 100%, with implementation in two phases. Under the proposal, basic salaries could be increased in the first year, followed by house rent and other allowances in the second year.

The Prime Minister's Office has also highlighted implementation of the ninth pay scale in an e-book titled "180 Days of the People's Government," published to mark the government's first 180 days in office.

Under the subheading "Ninth Pay Scale: Major Good News for Government Employees", the e-book said Tk89,836 crore had been allocated for salaries and allowances in FY27, while Tk1,41,434 crore had been allocated for total expenditure including pensions and gratuities.

The ninth National Pay Commission was formed on 27 July 2025, nearly 12 years after the eighth pay commission, with 23 members. The commission submitted its report to then chief adviser Muhammad Yunus on 21 January this year.

The commission, headed by Zakir Ahmed Khan, recommended increasing salaries and allowances by 100% to 140% while retaining the existing 20-grade structure.

It proposed raising the minimum basic salary from Tk8,250 to Tk20,000 and the highest basic salary from Tk78,000 to Tk1,60,000.

The finance minister announced during his budget speech in parliament on 11 June that the new pay structure for government employees would be implemented from 1 July.

He said government employees had been receiving salaries and allowances under the same pay structure for nearly 11 years, while the cost of living had increased substantially because of inflation.

The minister said the new pay structure would therefore be implemented in phases from 1 July.