A faction of the Bangladesh Secretariat Officers and Employees Coordinated Council has issued a stern warning of launching strict protest programmes from 10 January if the government fails to publish the official notification for the Ninth National Pay Commission within December. Their position was formally conveyed in a memorandum submitted on Wednesday (3 December) to the Economic Adviser to the government by the council’s Secretary General, Nizam Uddin Ahmed.
According to the memorandum, government employees had placed high hopes on the National Pay Commission 2025, formed under the current interim administration. However, the council claims that instead of progressing steadily towards a final recommendation, the entire process has slipped into uncertainty at a critical stage. This uncertainty, they argue, has created an environment unfavourable for the fulfilment of long-standing and justified demands of public servants.
One of the council’s principal demands is the restructuring of the existing 20-grade salary framework into 10 consolidated tiers, applying a 1:4 ratio in determining the revised pay structure. They argue that such a system would significantly help eliminate long-standing wage disparities within the civil service. The memorandum emphasises that public servants across lower and mid-level grades are struggling to cope with soaring commodity prices and the overall rise in the cost of living, causing many to endure severe financial strain.
The document further states that delays in implementing the pay commission’s recommendations are contributing to widespread frustration and resentment among government employees. The council contends that employees have already endured years of stagnation under an outdated pay structure that no longer reflects economic realities, inflationary pressures, or the increased responsibilities facing civil servants in recent times.
The council has reiterated three major demands as central to their movement:
Introduction of a Secretariat Allowance,
Implementation of the Ninth Pay Scale without delay, and
Reinstatement of a Secretariat Ration Allowance, which they argue is essential to protect lower-income staff from the effects of escalating living costs.
The memorandum issues a clear ultimatum: if the pay-scale notification is not published within December, and the corresponding gazette is not released by 1 January, employees will launch a series of strict protest programmes starting 10 January. Although the exact nature of the protests has not been detailed, leaders have hinted that they may include continuous sit-ins, work abstention, or other forms of industrial action within the Secretariat and other key administrative departments.
The council has also appealed directly for the Economic Adviser’s intervention, stressing that timely decisions are crucial to prevent further anger from building among employees. The memorandum notes that government workers form the backbone of state administration, and prolonged uncertainty over their financial well-being could negatively affect morale, efficiency, and service delivery across ministries.
The letter concludes by urging the authorities to act swiftly to restore confidence among civil servants and demonstrate the government’s commitment to fair compensation, especially during a time of economic hardship for many public-sector families.