New pay scale likely to get nod Monday
The proposed ninth pay scale for government employees may be placed before the Cabinet for approval on Monday (August 31), with the official notification likely to be issued by Thursday if the proposal receives the green light.
A senior official of the Ministry of Finance, speaking on condition of anonymity, said preparations for the new pay structure had been completed and efforts were under way to include it in the agenda of Monday’s Cabinet meeting.
“Once approved, the notification will be issued by Thursday,” the official said, adding that the new pay structure is likely to be formally announced next week.
The move comes as government employees have faced a significant rise in living costs amid prolonged inflation. Salaries and allowances have remained under the existing pay structure for nearly 11 years, while prices of essential goods and services have increased substantially during the period.
Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar had earlier said on August 16 that work on the new pay scale was in its final stages and that it could be announced at any time.
Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said on July 29 that work was under way on the recommendations of the Ninth Pay Commission.
He said the proposal would be placed before the Cabinet once the necessary work was completed, after which the notification process would begin following approval.
Implementation proposed in two phases
A 10-member committee headed by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Goni was formed on April 21 to recommend how the new pay structure should be implemented. The committee has already submitted its recommendations to the government.
The implementation of the ninth pay scale has also been highlighted in the e-book titled 180 Days of the People’s Government, published by the Prime Minister’s Office to outline the government’s activities during its first 180 days.
According to officials familiar with the proposal, a committee of secretaries has recommended raising the basic pay of government employees across grades 1 to 20 by up to 100 per cent.
The proposed structure would be implemented in two phases. The increase in basic pay would be introduced in the first year, while adjustments to house rent and other allowances would be made in the following year.
The government has allocated Tk 89,836 crore for salaries and allowances of government employees in the 2026-27 fiscal year. Including pensions and gratuities, the total allocation stands at Tk 1,41,434 crore, according to the government’s e-book, which describes the ninth pay scale as “Great News for Government Employees”.
Pay Commission proposed up to 140pc increase
The interim government formed the 23-member Ninth National Pay Commission on July 27, 2025, about 12 years after the Eighth Pay Commission. Headed by Zakir Ahmed Khan, the commission submitted its report to then Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on January 21 this year.
The commission recommended increasing the salaries and allowances of government employees by 100 to 140 per cent while retaining the existing 20 pay grades.
Under its proposal, the minimum basic pay would rise from Tk 8,250 to Tk 20,000, while the maximum basic pay would increase from Tk 78,000 to Tk 160,000.
While presenting the national budget in Parliament on June 11, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury had announced that the new pay structure would be implemented from July 1.
In his budget speech, he said government employees had been receiving salaries and allowances under the same pay structure for nearly 11 years, despite a significant increase in the cost of living during the period because of inflation.
The proposed pay revision is therefore being seen as an attempt to partly offset the erosion in employees’ purchasing power caused by rising prices and bring their incomes more in line with current living costs.
