New Pay Scale Nears Finalization Tomorrow; Two Tiers of Govt Employees to Get Bigger Raises

The 9th National Pay Scale is on track for implementation at the start of the upcoming fiscal year on July 1, according to Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury. The high-level committee tasked with executing the new salary framework has convened a crucial meeting for tomorrow, Thursday (May 21), where the finalized implementation blueprint is expected to be approved.

Responsibility-bearing sources close to the committee indicated that the forthcoming structure will disproportionately benefit lower- and mid-tier public servants, who will receive higher percentage raises compared to top-tier bureaucrats. Additionally, state pensioners are slated for major financial upgrades, with the committee recommending pension increment rates exceeding 100% for certain brackets.

A senior official involved with the pay scale committee explained that the decision to prioritize lower-grade employees stems directly from severe inflationary pressures, which heavily impact low-income households. The revised framework is specifically engineered to compress the existing wage disparity between different administrative grades.

The structural development follows a series of high-level fiscal strategy meetings led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat last Wednesday and Thursday to discuss the FY 2026-27 national budget. The 9th National Pay Scale will maintain an inclusive jurisdiction, covering not only the core administration cadre but also public school teachers, police personnel, healthcare workers, field-level administration, and the judicial service.

Specific operational directives are also anticipated for employees of autonomous and semi-autonomous public bodies, the details of which will be unraveled once the final recommendations are greenlit. Following tomorrow's committee clearance, the draft proposal will be dispatched to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for ultimate endorsement, clearing the path for the Ministry of Finance to issue the official implementation gazette.

Speaking to reporters at his office on Monday (May 18), Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury acknowledged the immense fiscal challenge of balancing macroeconomics with public welfare.

"The new salary framework will be implemented from the start of the next fiscal year, July 1," the Finance Minister stated. "The current state of the economy is fragile, and our revenue collection relative to GDP remains low. Consequently, we are forced to exclude several expenditures and downsize allocations. Despite these severe constraints, we must address the new salary structure for our workforce."

While Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has issued strict instructions to incorporate the 9th National Pay Scale into the upcoming budget, fiscal realities mean the Pay Commission's original, expansive recommendations will be rolled out gradually.

When asked whether the government would follow the specific phased timeline designed by the Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani-led review committee, the Finance Minister noted that while the committee provided solid guidelines, the state is forced to navigate strict budgetary boundaries amid a highly challenging economic landscape. Under the previously proposed Gani Committee framework, the pay scale is expected to be absorbed incrementally over three fiscal years to smooth out the cash flow burden on the state treasury.