50% Basic Pay Hike, 10–15% Benefits Cut: How Much Will Each Grade Earn?

The government has officially announced the implementation of the long-awaited 9th National Pay Scale, set to take effect on July 1. Under the new pay structure, public servants will receive a substantial 50% increase in their core basic salaries. However, this major restructuring comes with a catch: the implementation will phase out the existing 10% to 15% special financial incentives currently enjoyed by government employees.

According to sources within the Ministry of Finance, employees from the 10th to the 20th grades currently receive a 15% special benefit, while those in the 1st to the 9th grades receive a 10% special incentive. With these benefits set to be rescinded on July 1, the net basic salary increase will effectively translate to a 35% raise for employees in the 10th to 20th grades, and a net 40% raise for those occupying the 1st to 9th grades.

Grade-by-Grade Salary Restructuring Blueprint

The detailed grade-wise breakdown, outlining the current basic structures, the existing special benefits, and the projected basic salaries under the 9th National Pay Scale, is as follows:

First Class Officers and Top Executive Cadres (Grades 1 to 9)

• Grade 1: The current basic salary stands at Tk 78,000. Incorporating the 10% special benefit (Tk 7,800), the current gross take-home basic is Tk 85,800. Under the 9th Pay Scale, the new basic will jump by 50% to Tk 1,17,000.

• Grade 2: The existing basic is Tk 66,000. With the 10% benefit (Tk 6,600), the current total is Tk 72,600. The upcoming 50% increment will lift the basic to Tk 99,000.

• Grade 3: The current basic is Tk 56,500. Including the 10% allowance (Tk 5,650), it currently amounts to Tk 62,150. The new pay scale will raise the basic to Tk 84,750.

• Grade 4: The baseline basic is Tk 50,000. With the 10% special incentive (Tk 5,000), the current total is Tk 55,000. Under the new recommendations, it will rise to Tk 75,000.

• Grade 5: The current basic is fixed at Tk 43,000. With the 10% benefit (Tk 4,300), the current total is Tk 47,300. The revised framework will elevate this to Tk 64,500.

• Grade 6: The current basic is Tk 35,500. Factoring in the 10% incentive (Tk 3,550), the total is Tk 39,050. The 9th Pay Scale will push the basic to Tk 53,250.

• Grade 7: The baseline basic is Tk 29,000. Adding the 10% allowance (Tk 2,900), the existing total is Tk 31,900. The new structure will scale this up to Tk 43,500.

• Grade 8: The current basic is Tk 23,000. With the 10% benefit (Tk 2,300), the current total is Tk 25,300. The upcoming revision will increase the basic to Tk 34,500.

• Grade 9: The current baseline basic is Tk 22,000. With the 10% incentive (Tk 2,200), the current total is Tk 24,200. The updated pay structure will fix the new basic at Tk 33,000.

Mid-Level and Subordinate Staff (Grades 10 to 20)

• Grade 10: Employees currently draw a baseline basic of Tk 16,000. With their 15% special incentive (Tk 2,400), the current total basic is Tk 18,400. Under the 9th Pay Scale, the basic will hit Tk 24,000.

• Grade 11: The current basic is Tk 12,500. With the 15% benefit (Tk 1,875), the total stands at Tk 14,375. The 50% upgrade will see the basic climb to Tk 18,750.

• Grade 12: The existing basic is Tk 11,300. Factoring in the 15% special allowance (Tk 1,695), the total is Tk 12,995. The new baseline basic will become Tk 16,950.

• Grade 13: The current basic is Tk 11,000. Including the 15% incentive (Tk 1,650), the total is Tk 12,650. The upcoming pay structure will increase this to Tk 16,500.

• Grade 14: The current baseline basic is Tk 10,200. With the 15% benefit (Tk 1,530), the current total is Tk 11,730. Under the 9th Pay Scale, the basic will be Tk 15,300.

• Grade 15: The baseline basic stands at Tk 9,700. Adding the 15% incentive (Tk 1,455), the total is Tk 11,155. The upcoming revision will lift the basic to Tk 14,550.

• Grade 16: The current basic is Tk 9,300. With the 15% special allowance (Tk 1,395), the total is Tk 10,695. The updated pay scale fixes the new basic at Tk 13,950.

• Grade 17: The existing basic is Tk 9,000. Factoring in the 15% benefit (Tk 1,350), the total is Tk 10,350. The 50% basic increase will elevate this to Tk 13,500.

• Grade 18: The baseline basic is Tk 8,800. With the 15% incentive (Tk 1,320), the current total is Tk 10,120. Under the new recommendations, it will rise to Tk 13,200.

• Grade 19: The current basic is Tk 8,500. Including the 15% allowance (Tk 1,275), the existing total is Tk 9,775. The 9th Pay Scale will push the basic to Tk 12,750.

• Grade 20: For the lowest tier, the current baseline basic is Tk 8,250. With the 15% special benefit (Tk 1,237.50), the total stands at Tk 9,487.50. The upcoming 50% core basic upgrade will fix the new salary at Tk 12,375.

Impact and Strategic Implications

While the 50% increase in basic salary looks substantial on paper, the administrative removal of the special allowances has sparked significant debate across various government secretariats.

Representatives from various public sector associations have pointed out that because inflation and living costs have risen significantly, the structural reduction of the 10% to 15% incentives will dilute the overall financial relief that the new pay scale was intended to provide. The Ministry of Finance is expected to release a detailed regulatory gazette later this month outlining house rent, medical, and other secondary allowance structures mapped to the new basic pay values.