The proposed ninth national pay scale for government employees recommends raising basic salaries across grades one to 20 by up to 100 per cent, while suggesting that the new structure be implemented in two phases rather than introduced in full at once.
Under the proposed approach, the revised basic salaries could take effect in the first year, with house rent and other allowances introduced in the following year. The phased arrangement is intended to spread the financial impact on the government budget, although the final implementation schedule will depend on the government’s approval.
The administrative process has also moved forward. All members of the committee formed to finalise and review the ninth pay scale report have reportedly signed the final document. Their signatures represent an important procedural step, but the recommendations will still require the necessary government decisions before they can take effect.
Details of the proposed pay structure were also highlighted in an e-book published by the Prime Minister’s Office to mark 180 days of the government in office. The publication described the ninth pay scale as a significant proposed change for government officials and employees.
According to the information presented in the publication, Tk89,836 crore has been allocated for government employees’ salaries and allowances in the 2026–27 financial year. When expenditure relating to government employees, including pensions and gratuities, is taken into account, the total allocation rises to Tk1,41,434 crore. Any substantial increase in salaries and allowances would therefore have a direct bearing on government expenditure and fiscal management.
The ninth National Pay Commission was formed on 27 July 2025, nearly 12 years after the eighth national pay commission. The 23-member commission was headed by former finance secretary Zakir Ahmed Khan. It submitted its report to then chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on 21 January this year.
The commission recommended retaining the existing 20-grade structure while proposing increases of between 100 and 140 per cent in salaries and allowances. Its recommendations included raising the minimum basic salary from Tk8,250 to Tk20,000 and the maximum basic salary from Tk78,000 to Tk1,60,000.
Following the commission’s recommendations, the government established a 10-member committee on 21 April to examine the proposals and prepare an implementable pay structure. Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani chaired the committee. Its members included the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, the finance secretary, public administration secretary, law secretary, defence secretary, secondary and higher education secretary, health services secretary, the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division and the Comptroller General of Accounts.
The proposed salary revision comes against the backdrop of prolonged pressure on the purchasing power of government employees. During the budget presentation, the finance minister said government employees had been receiving salaries and allowances under the same pay structure for around 11 years. Rising inflation and higher living costs over that period have increased pressure on household budgets, making the question of salary adjustment increasingly prominent.
The government had earlier indicated that it intended to begin implementing the new pay structure from 1 July. However, several key issues remain to be settled, including the precise scale of salary increases, the timing of each phase and the treatment of house rent, medical, transport and other allowances.
If approved and implemented, the ninth pay scale could bring an end to a long period of uncertainty for government employees and provide some relief from rising living costs. At the same time, a large-scale salary revision would have wider implications for public expenditure, revenue requirements and budgetary sustainability.
The eventual impact will therefore depend not only on the size of the approved increases but also on how the government stages the reforms, manages the additional expenditure and balances employee welfare with its broader fiscal capacity.
