Secretaries’ Committee Meeting Today to Finalise 9th Pay Scale Recommendations, Salaries May Increase Up to 140%

PNN News Desk | Dhaka

The reconstituted Secretaries’ Committee is holding an important meeting today to finalise recommendations for the much-awaited 9th National Pay Scale for government employees.

The meeting, scheduled at the Secretariat, will discuss various proposals regarding the new salary structure and may decide on approving the final recommendations.

According to sources, the meeting, chaired by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani at 9:30 am, will review a proposal to increase the basic salaries of officials from the 1st to 10th grades by 100 percent and employees from the 11th to 20th grades by up to 140 percent.

If a final decision is not reached today, the recommendations may be approved at a later meeting and sent to the Cabinet. After completing necessary procedures, the government will officially move forward with implementing the new pay scale.

Discussions over the new pay structure have continued for a long time. However, delays occurred due to adjustments involving the Pay Commission’s recommendations, government financial capacity, annual increments, and various allowances.

Despite the delay, the government’s target is to implement the new pay scale from July this year.

Officials from the Finance Division and Public Administration Ministry said the proposed structure would provide relatively greater benefits to lower and middle-grade employees.

Changes have also been recommended in the existing increment system.

According to the draft proposal, a 5 percent annual increment will remain for grades 6 to 20. The proposal suggests a 4 percent increment for grade 5, 3.5 percent for grades 3 and 4, and 2.75 percent for grade 2.

The annual increment for grade 1 will be determined separately.

The proposal also includes changes in medical allowances. The draft recommends reducing the maximum medical allowance from Tk 5,000 to Tk 3,000 and setting a monthly education allowance of Tk 1,500 for children.

If the new pay scale is implemented, the existing interim special allowance of Tk 2,000 to Tk 3,000 provided to government employees will automatically be cancelled, as the new structure includes a significant increase in basic salaries.

Government employees are now closely watching the outcome of the Secretaries’ Committee meeting, as the decision will determine the next steps for implementing the 9th National Pay Scale and the future salary structure of millions of government workers.