New recruits to receive bigger pay rises, different calculation for existing employees

Under the recently announced national pay structure, people newly joining government service will receive comparatively higher salaries and allowances. However, the calculation will differ for those already in service. Their salaries will vary depending on their length of service, current basic salary and increments.

There are currently 20 grades in government service. Most Class I positions, including Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) cadre posts, recruit employees at Grade 9. Other appointments begin from Grades 10 to 20.

For example, assistant teachers at government primary schools are appointed at Grade 13 of the national pay scale, while head teachers hold Grade 10 positions.

Under the National Pay Scale 2015, the basic salary for Grade 9 was Tk 22,000. Under the new pay structure, it has doubled to Tk 44,000. Some positions also receive an additional increment when an employee joins the service.

In addition to their basic salary, government employees receive house rent allowance at a specified rate.

For example, employees receive house rent equivalent to 50 per cent of their basic salary in Dhaka, 45 per cent in other divisional cities and 40 per cent in district towns. However, the rates vary somewhat depending on the grade and location.

Besides house rent, all employees receive Tk 1,500 as a medical allowance. They also receive an education assistance allowance for their children, festival allowance, Baishakhi allowance, and other financial benefits, including TA (travel allowance) or DA (dearness allowance) for official duties and travel.

The new structure has also introduced a mobile phone allowance for all officers and employees. However, these allowances are determined according to the salary grade.

The government approved the new pay structure for government employees, the National Pay Structure 2026, on Monday. Under the structure, basic salaries will increase by between 100 per cent and 142 per cent, depending on the grade.

The new pay structure will be implemented in four phases, covering both basic salaries and allowances. It will take effect from July this year.

As implementation of the new pay structure begins, the 15 per cent “special benefit” on basic salaries that has been in place will be abolished.

For Grades 1 to 9, 40 per cent of the increased basic salary will take effect in the first phase from July.

A further 30 per cent will take effect in the second phase from January 2027, followed by the remaining 30 per cent in the third phase from July 2027.

All new allowances, including house rent, will take effect in the fourth phase from 1 January 2028. Until then, employees will continue to receive their existing allowances.

Considering the situation of lower-income employees, the government has prioritised implementation of the new salaries for employees in Grades 10 to 20.

For these grades, 50 per cent of the increased basic salary will take effect in the first phase, a further 25 per cent in the second phase and the remaining 25 per cent in the third phase. They will also receive all allowances in the fourth phase.

Suppose a new employee joined Grade 9 in July this year. Under the old structure, the basic salary for this grade was Tk 22,000. Under the new pay structure, the basic salary will increase by 40 per cent in the first phase to Tk 30,800.

In the second phase, a further 30 per cent, or Tk 6,600, will be added. The basic salary will then stand at Tk 37,400.

In the third phase, from July 2027, another Tk 6,600 will be added, bringing the salary to Tk 44,000. The employee will continue to receive house rent and other allowances under the previous pay structure during this period.

From 1 January 2028, the allowances will take effect at the new rates. At that point, a new Grade 9 officer working in Dhaka will receive Tk 22,000 as house rent, equivalent to 50 per cent of the Tk 44,000 basic salary. Medical, education assistance, festival and other allowances will be added to this amount.

Altogether, the officer’s total salary and allowances could be around Tk 70,000 at that stage. Through increments, the maximum basic salary for this grade could reach Tk 105,900.

The post of head teacher at government primary schools was recently upgraded to Grade 10. The old basic salary for this grade started at Tk 16,000. Under the new structure, it will start at Tk 32,000. Through increments, the maximum basic salary for this grade will reach Tk 77,300.

With a 50 per cent increase in the first phase, the basic salary will rise from Tk 16,000 to Tk 24,000. In the second phase, a further 25 per cent, or Tk 4,000, will be added, bringing the basic salary to Tk 28,000. In the third phase, another Tk 4,000 will be added, taking the basic salary to Tk 32,000.

In January 2028, increased house rent and other allowances will be added to the salary. At that point, the total salary and allowances for a new officer or head teacher in this grade will exceed Tk 50,000 at the starting level.

However, the calculation will differ for existing employees compared with new recruits. Their total salary will depend on their current basic salary, length of service, increments and other benefits.

A head teacher at a government primary school in Dhaka who has served for more than 12 years told Prothom Alo that his current basic salary is Tk 22,450.

Including house rent and other allowances, he currently receives around Tk 36,000 a month. Based on what he has learned about the new pay structure, he estimates that his total salary could reach Tk 40,000 from July in the first phase.

Once all phases and allowances are fully implemented, his total salary could be close to Tk 70,000. However, he believes the calculation will become clear once the Ministry of Finance issues a gazette notification.

For government primary school head teacher posts, 80 per cent of appointments are made through promotion from among assistant teachers, while the remaining 20 per cent are filled through direct recruitment.

The post of assistant teacher at government primary schools falls under Grade 13. The basic salary for this grade previously started at Tk 11,000. Under the new structure, it will start at Tk 24,000. With increments over time, the basic salary could rise to a maximum of Tk 58,000.

Once the new pay structure is fully implemented, a newly recruited assistant teacher’s total salary and allowances will be close to Tk 40,000 from 2028.

However, existing employees will receive more. For example, an assistant teacher in Noakhali who has served for 17 years said his basic salary has risen to Tk 20,800 under the old structure through annual increments. He currently receives around Tk 33,000 a month, including allowances.

Under the new pay structure, his basic salary will stand at around Tk 27,300 in the first phase. He will also continue to receive house rent and other allowances under the existing structure.

As a result, his total salary and allowances could be close to Tk 40,000. Once all phases are implemented, his total salary and allowances could reach around Tk 50,000.

MPO-enlisted teachers and employees at private educational institutions across the country will also receive benefits under the new national pay structure. A senior government source told Prothom Alo this.

The Cabinet approved the new pay structure for government officers and employees at its meeting on Monday. Later, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani outlined details of the pay increases at a press conference.

However, the Cabinet Secretary could not immediately say whether MPO-enlisted teachers and employees would come under the new pay structure. He said, “I cannot say that at the moment. A decision on this matter will come later.”

However, inquiries on Tuesday, confirmed that MPO-enlisted teachers and employees (whose salaries and allowances receive a government share) will also receive benefits under the new pay structure.

Their basic salaries and house rent allowances will increase significantly. However, the exact amount of the increase has not yet been finalised.

The salaries of newly recruited and existing employees under the recently announced government pay structure will become clearer after the government issues the relevant order.

Asked about the new pay structure, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani told Prothom Alo on Tuesday that the Finance Division would issue the order concerning the new pay structure on Wednesday or Thursday.

He said all details would become clear once the order is issued.