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The implementation of the 9th National Pay Scale for public servants has run into fresh complications following unresolved demands surrounding the judicial service salary framework, prompting the Prime Minister's Office to instruct authorities to conduct a comprehensive re-evaluation before issuing the official gazette.
The primary hurdle emerged over judicial service officers demanding allowances equivalent to 100 percent of their basic pay. In light of this development, the Finance Division is set to reassess the final report submitted by the Bangladesh Judicial Service Pay Commission-2025.
During an unscheduled high-level meeting last week, the Prime Minister held detailed discussions with Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury regarding the broader financial implications, execution timeline, and the need for parity across sector-wise salary frameworks. The Prime Minister directed the ministry to eliminate any pay disparities and evaluate whether the rollout should be deferred slightly to account for high inflation, existing economic challenges, and the potential impact on macroeconomic stability and cost of living.
A seven-member high-level review committee headed by the Finance Minister is scheduled to convene shortly to examine the judicial commission's findings. A previously scheduled meeting on August 12 fell through due to the absence of key members. The upcoming session will focus on assessing the financial viability of judicial benefits, total additional state expenditure requirements, and feasible disbursement modalities.
Meanwhile, a secretary committee led by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani finalized a unified proposal synthesizing recommendations from the National Pay Commission, the Judicial Service Pay Commission, and the Armed Forces Pay Committee on August 12. The draft proposal recommends an increase of 100 to 140 percent in basic pay across varying grades, prioritizing higher percentage hikes for lower-tier public servants. It also outlines a phased implementation roadmap: raising only the basic pay in the initial phase, followed by house rent, medical, and other allowances in the subsequent fiscal year.
The 8th National Pay Scale was last notified in 2015. Despite sharp inflation and escalating living costs over the past decade, successive efforts to notify the 9th Pay Scale continue to face delays amid fiscal constraints and sector-specific demands.
