Govt to launch new pay scale in July, strategy yet to be finalised

Bangladesh is preparing to introduce a new pay scale for public servants from July, but authorities are still finalising how the revised salary structure will be implemented across government, autonomous and semi-government institutions.

According to officials, a meeting of a secretary committee, chaired by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani, was held on Thursday to review the implementation framework.

“The discussions covered recommendations from the National Pay Commission, observations from the secretary committee itself, proposals from the Judicial Service Pay Commission, and issues relating to the armed forces pay structure,” a release said.

Despite the review, no final decision was reached.

Officials said, “another meeting has been scheduled for 24 June, with further discussions expected as the government works to introduce the reform within the planned timeline.”

Sources indicated that a partial rollout is expected to begin on 1 July, with the salary structure to be implemented in phases rather than adopting the full recommendations of the National Pay Commission at once.

Under the initial plan, government employees, including those in the judiciary and various state-run institutions, as well as members of different services, would receive 50 per cent of the revised basic salary in the first phase during the 2026–27 fiscal year. The remaining 50 per cent is expected to be implemented in the following fiscal year, 2027–28.

A third phase, scheduled for 2028–29, is expected to introduce full implementation of allowances and additional benefits linked to the new pay structure.

Officials also suggested that although the new pay scale is set to take effect from 1 July, employees may not see immediate changes in their pay packets. Additional payments could begin as late as October, as administrative and legal procedures required to finalise the rollout are still underway.

Earlier, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said, “the government would introduce the new pay scale in stages from 1 July as part of broader fiscal planning.”

The national budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year has allocated Tk 89,380 crore for salaries and allowances of government officials and employees.

In January, the Ninth National Pay Commission submitted its report to the then Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

It recommended a significant revision of the salary structure, proposing a minimum monthly pay of Tk 20,000 and a maximum of Tk 160,000.

The proposed reforms are seen as one of the most significant adjustments to public sector wages in recent years, though the phased approach suggests a cautious implementation strategy as the government balances fiscal pressure with administrative reform.