New pay structure to be finalised before deadline

The Chairman of the National Pay Commission and former Finance Secretary, Zakir Ahmed Khan, has said that the new pay structure will be finalised ahead of the stipulated six months.

On Sunday (September 14) afternoon, a delegation of the National Pay Commission held a meeting with Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus at the state guesthouse Jamuna.

Following the meeting, Zakir Ahmed Khan told reporters that although GDP and inflation had increased over the past decade, the salaries of government employees had not been adjusted accordingly. He said that the Commission had already begun work on formulating a time-befitting pay structure.

He further stated that the new structure would give priority to introducing separate pay scales for specialised jobs, considering income tax obligations, revising allowances including housing, medical, and transport, finalising the process of linking salaries with inflation, and making pensions and retirement benefits more up to date.

The Commission is also working on evaluating the quality of work by officials and employees, he added. According to him, recommendations would also be made to prepare a pay structure based on performance evaluation, rationalise financial facilities related to telephone, cars, and mobile phones, streamline cash and ration facilities, and address inconsistencies in salary grades and increments.

“We have already started work in full swing,” said the Commission Chairman. “Although six months’ time was given to determine the pay structure, we expect to submit the final report before the deadline.”

In the meeting, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus instructed that a rational pay structure be set for government and autonomous officials and employees in line with present realities.

He also stressed the importance of health insurance for officials, saying: “This is important. Even if salaries are increased, many lose everything due to a single illness. If there is insurance, families remain secure. Similar models exist in neighbouring countries as well.”

It may be noted that after a decade, the National Pay Commission has been formed to determine a new pay structure for government and autonomous officials and employees.

The Commission will review and make recommendations on the salaries, allowances, and other benefits of officials and employees under the national pay scale, including those in government, semi-government, autonomous organisations, state-owned banks and financial institutions, government-funded universities, and state-owned industrial enterprises.

Among others present at the meeting were Economic Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, Principal Secretary to the Chief Adviser Siraj Uddin Mia, and Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Mokhles Ur Rahman.