TIB warns against unchecked pay hike
The new national pay scale could help improve the financial security and professional standards of government employees, but its benefits should be tied to stronger accountability, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has
TIB welcomed the Cabinet’s approval of the pay scale and described its three-phase implementation as reasonable given the government’s financial constraints.
However, it called for higher salaries and allowances to be made conditional on the annual disclosure of income, expenditure and assets by government employees and their dependent family members.
In a statement on Tuesday, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said government salaries and allowances should be aligned with the cost of living to support professional excellence and corruption-free public services.
“However, to ensure that the increased salaries and allowances funded by taxpayers’ money deliver the desired benefits, the requirement for government employees at all levels and their dependent family members to update and disclose their income and assets annually must be enforced,” he said.
He said the increased salaries and allowances should apply only to employees who regularly update and disclose their income, expenditure and asset declarations.
Iftekharuzzaman acknowledged that many government employees perform their duties honestly and remain free from corruption and irregularities, making the new pay scale both justified and necessary for them.
“On the other hand, for those engaged in acquiring illicit wealth and assets through dishonesty, irregularities, corruption and abuse of power, such benefits are not only unjustified but entirely unnecessary,” he said.
Pay rise needs accountability
TIB warned that implementing the new pay scale across the board without effective accountability mechanisms could increase the risk of corruption in the public sector.
The government has said the new pay structure is intended to improve employees’ financial security and motivation and help build a more efficient, dynamic and people-oriented public administration.
However, Iftekharuzzaman noted that similar expectations accompanied the eighth pay scale, introduced in 2015.
“Salaries and allowances increased, but the extent and depth of irregularities, corruption and bribery in government institutions escalated even faster,” he said.
“We would like to believe that this time will be different. Mandatory disclosure of asset declarations must be ensured as a globally tested approach to controlling corruption in the public sector; otherwise, citizens will have no way to escape the vicious cycle of corruption.”
TIB said linking improved remuneration with greater transparency would help ensure that additional public expenditure produces better services rather than simply increasing the cost of administration.
Inflationary pressure flagged
Iftekharuzzaman also warned that higher salaries and allowances could put additional pressure on the prices of essential commodities and contribute to inflation, with low-income households likely to be affected most.
He urged the government to take measures to contain the inflationary impact while ensuring that the asset-disclosure requirement is implemented alongside the new pay scale.
The TIB call comes as the government prepares to roll out the new salary structure in phases, with the broader objective of improving the welfare and motivation of public service holders while strengthening the quality and accountability of public administration.
