B Mirror Report : The Ninth National Pay Commission submitted its report today to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna.

The 23-member commission, led by Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan, handed over the report three weeks before the deadline, according to the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing.

Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Dr. Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, Finance Secretary Dr. Md. Khairuzzaman Mozumder, and all members of the commission were present.

The government formed the Ninth National Pay Commission on July 27 last year and gave it six months to prepare the report. The commission was formed after a 12-year gap, following the Eighth Pay Commission in 2013. The final deadline was February 14. The commission completed its work using only 18 percent of its budget.

After receiving the report, the Chief Adviser thanked the commission members and said he was satisfied with their work.

“This was a very important task. People have been waiting for it for a long time. From what I have seen, this is a creative and thoughtful report,” he said.

Commission Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan said that over the past 10 years, there have been major changes in the economy, both globally and in Bangladesh.

He said the prices of essential goods have risen sharply. Because pay structures were not updated in time, government employees are now finding it harder to meet living costs.

He explained that the commission worked under clear guidelines to review existing salaries, allowances, and benefits, and to make new recommendations.

To prepare realistic recommendations, the commission held 184 meetings, both online and in person. It also collected opinions and proposals from 2,552 individuals.

The commission also held discussions with representatives from different associations and organizations.

Another important task was to calculate how much money would be needed to implement the new pay structure and to see if it was financially possible.

Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed said the next step would be to implement the proposals. A separate committee will be formed to manage this process.

The commission recommended a 20-grade pay structure for government employees. It proposed increasing the minimum basic salary from Tk 8,250 to Tk 20,000, and the maximum salary from Tk 78,000 to Tk 160,000.

According to the commission, Tk 106,000 crore will be needed to implement the proposals. Currently, the government spends Tk 131,000 crore on salaries for 14 lakh government employees and pensions for 9 lakh pensioners.

The commission also proposed several new measures. These include health insurance for government employees, reform of the pension system, restructuring of the Government Employees Welfare Board, creation of a Service Commission, and better pay structures. It also recommended forming a committee to review allowances and improving human resources in the health and education sectors.

If a government employee has a differently abled child, the commission recommended a monthly allowance of Tk 2,000. This benefit will apply to a maximum of two children.

The report also said that the existing Tiffin Allowance should continue but at a higher rate.

The monthly Tiffin Allowance for employees in grades 11 to 20 may be increased from Tk 200 to Tk 1,000.