New pay structure to be finalised before the scheduled time

A new pay structure for government and semi-autonomous employees will be finalised before the originally scheduled six-month period.

National Pay Commission Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan, a former finance secretary and head of the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation, informed the matter to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Sunday.

Professor Yunus met a delegation from the National Pay Commission at the state guesthouse, Jamuna, on Sunday afternoon to discuss the proposed reforms.

Mr. Khan said that over the past decade, wage growth had lagged far behind inflation and GDP expansion. “The pay structure has not kept pace with the cost of living,” he observed. “The commission is now working on a timely and comprehensive framework, including a separate pay structure for specialised roles, adjustments based on income-tax obligations, and rationalisation of allowances such as housing, medical, and travel. Pension and retirement benefits are also being reviewed to reflect contemporary realities.”

He added that the commission will also propose measures to address inconsistencies in salary grades and increments, as well as rationalise cash and in-kind benefits related to telephones, cars, and mobile phones. “We have already started full-scale work. While six months was allocated for finalising the pay structure, we expect to submit the report before the scheduled timeframe,” Mr. Khan said.

Professor Yunus instructed the commission to ensure that the new framework is equitable and aligned with current realities. He placed particular emphasis on health insurance for employees, noting that “even a minor illness can cause severe financial distress if there is no coverage. Insurance will provide families with security. Models of this kind exist in neighbouring countries.”

The National Pay Commission was established to revise pay, allowances, and benefits for employees across government, semi-autonomous bodies, state banks, financial institutions, approved universities, and state-owned enterprises. The initiative marks the first comprehensive review of pay structures for these sectors in over a decade.

Among those present at Sunday’s meeting were Economic Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, Chief Adviser’s Principal Secretary Siraj Uddin Mia, and Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Mokhlesur Rahman.

The accelerated timetable reflects a broader push by the caretaker administration to modernise public-sector remuneration and reduce disparities, a step seen as crucial to ensuring workforce morale and the effective implementation of public services.

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com