Zonayed Saki, state minister for finance and planning, has assured government employees that the long-awaited Ninth Pay Scale will be implemented, though its execution will take some time.
The state minister gave this assurance during a courtesy meeting with employee leaders at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
The delegation included Md Abdul Khalek, deputy secretary and president of the Bangladesh Secretariat Service Association, and MA Hannan, Coordinator of the Bangladesh Government Employees’ Claim Realisation United Council.
Following the meeting, MA Hannan told the media that the state minister urged employees to remain patient. According to Hannan, Saki said that since Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has already made a commitment regarding the matter, employees will gradually receive the new pay scale.
However, he clarified that immediate implementation is not possible due to current circumstances and did not provide a specific timeframe for the rollout.
Sources from the meeting said that leaders reminded Saki of his previous vocal support for their cause during street protests. In response, Saki highlighted the government’s current limitations and planning, noting that the pay scale issue has not been discussed in recent Cabinet meetings.
The move toward a Ninth Pay Scale follows the formation of a Pay Commission by the then interim government on 27 July last year. The commission submitted its recommendations on 21 January. Government employees continue to press for swift implementation to address the rising cost of living.
