77-100% hike in government salaries expected

The Pay and Services Commission has finalised a new salary structure for government employees.

It recommended Tk 80,000 as highest salary and Tk 8,200 as lowest.

The commission proposed 100 percent increase in salaries for employees at the very bottom of the scale and 77 percent for officials at the top.

The highest salary at the moment was Tk 45,000 and 4,100 the lowest.

The report with the commission’s recommendations will be submitted to Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith on Thursday noon, its secretary Ehsanul Haque told bdnews24.com.

Meanwhile, former Bangladesh Bank governor Mohammad Farashuddin, who led the 17-member body, was tight lipped about the recommendations in their report.

But a source inside the commission said it proposed that employees at the very bottom be paid Tk 8,200 instead of Tk 4,100. For officials at the top of the scale, it recommended Tk 80,000 instead of Tk 45,000.

The report was finalised but its submission was delayed since the finance minister was in Singapore for his son’s treatment.

Before leaving, Muhith told reporters he would go through the commission’s report as soon as he returns. He is scheduled to return on Thursday.

The commission has reduced the levels in the salary structure from 20 to 16, the source said. The proposals were planned in view of the expenses needed to support a six-member family, with education and health fees for two children.

The government set up the commission on Nov 24 last year for its 1.3 million employees. It was told to submit its report in six months but the time was later extended by six months.

The finance minister in his budget speech said the commission will work to recommend a salary scale that will ensure standard living for government employees in line with prices for goods and services.

He said the commission’s proposals will be in effect from 2014-15 fiscal.