9th pay scale gazette issued, hikes salaries up to 142pc

Bangladesh Publishes Ninth National Pay Scale Gazette

Thebangladaily.com – Government employees in Bangladesh are set to receive major increases in basic pay after the Finance Division formally published the gazette for the ninth national pay scale. The new framework, issued as the Government Service (Pay and Allowances) Order, 2026, takes effect from July 1, 2026 and covers both serving employees and pensioners.

The revised scale keeps the current 20-grade system in place while delivering the strongest percentage gains to workers in the lower grades. Basic salaries will rise by 100 per cent for Grades 1 through 10, while employees in Grades 11 to 20 will receive increases reaching as high as 142 per cent.

Higher Basic Salaries Across All Grades

For Grade 1 officials, who occupy the highest position in the pay structure, the monthly basic salary will move from Tk78,000 to Tk156,000. That change represents a doubling of the existing rate.

At the other end of the scale, Grade 20 employees will see their basic monthly pay rise from Tk8,250 to Tk20,000. The larger proportional increases in the lower grades are intended to reshape the gap between the lowest and highest levels of government pay while retaining the familiar grade-based structure.

The pay order affects roughly 2.4 million government employees and pensioners. Implementing the new arrangement is expected to add about Tk105,000 crore to annual government expenditure, highlighting the scale of the fiscal commitment involved.

Implementation Will Be Staged Over Three Periods

Although the new scale is effective from July 1, 2026, employees will not receive the entire revised basic salary immediately. The government has set out a phased rollout, and eligible staff will receive arrears from the effective date.

During the first period, from July 1 through December 31, 2026, employees in Grade 9 and above will receive 40 per cent of the increase in their basic pay. Those in Grades 10 to 20 will receive 50 per cent of the increase. These additions will be calculated alongside salaries drawn on June 30.

The second stage will run from January 1 to June 30, 2027. In that period, Grade 9 and higher officials will receive 70 per cent of the added basic pay, while workers in Grades 10 to 20 will receive 75 per cent.

The full revised basic salary will begin from July 1, 2027. This timeline means that employees will transition gradually to the complete new pay level rather than receiving the entire increase at once.

Allowances Will Follow Later

The revision applies first to basic salaries. Employees will need to wait until January 1, 2028 for the increased allowance component to take effect. For households planning their finances, the distinction is important: the full basic-pay rate starts in July 2027, but the related allowance increases arrive six months later.

Existing pensioners are also included in the new structure and will receive 100 per cent of the benefits provided under the revised scale. Their inclusion extends the effect of the pay order beyond the active civil-service workforce and makes pension obligations a substantial part of the projected annual cost.

Legal Clearance Completed Before Publication

The gazette was issued after the Finance Division secured legal vetting from the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. Its publication turns the long-awaited pay revision into an official government order and establishes the timetable for salary adjustments, arrear payments and later changes to allowances.

For public servants, the most immediate question will be how the phased percentages apply to their individual grade and current basic pay. The new order provides a clear sequence: partial increases begin in the second half of 2026, larger payments follow in the first half of 2027, and the full basic salary comes into force from July 2027. Allowance revisions then complete the transition at the start of 2028.