What’s new in the ninth pay scale

Major changes and good news have come in the much-anticipated ninth pay scale structure for government employees. Various financial benefits including medical, tiffin, transportation and special area allowances have been increased significantly. For the first time, a mobile phone allowance and a special allowance for children with disabilities have also been introduced.

Employees who do not receive a promotion but remain in the same grade for eight years will automatically receive the salary of the next higher grade. However, their service record must be satisfactory. Currently, employees receive this benefit after 10 years.

Amid these benefits, the Bangla New Year allowance and house rent rates in certain areas have been reduced slightly.

With these provisions, the Ministry of Finance issued a gazette notification on Saturday titled Government Service (Pay and Allowances) Order, 2026, announcing the ninth pay structure.

Outside the 20 grades for officers and employees, separate basic salaries have been set for the Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary, Senior Secretary and officials of equivalent rank.

The salary for the Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and equivalent positions will be Tk 172,000 (fixed). Their basic salary was Tk 86,000 (fixed) until now.

The salary for Senior Secretaries and officials of equivalent rank will be Tk 164,000 (fixed). It is currently Tk 82,000 (fixed).

Under the new pay structure, the starting basic salaries of government employees have been increased by 100 to 142 percent depending on their grades. Basic salaries for grades 1 to 11 have increased by 100 percent while those for grades 12 to 20 have increased by 115 to 142 percent.

Several categories of government employees and workers will not come under the ninth national pay scale. The order for the new pay scale has kept these employees, workers and people appointed through other arrangements outside its scope. Separate pay scales will be announced for them later.

According to the order, employees working in the Bangladesh Judicial Service and those serving in the defense services will remain outside this pay scale. The same provision applies to employees serving in the police force and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

In addition, workers of state-owned industrial establishments, people appointed as apprentices or trainees and workers engaged through outsourcing will not receive the benefits of the ninth pay scale.

Workers appointed under the Daily Based Temporary Worker Recruitment Policy, 2025, will also remain outside the new pay structure.

Contractual and part time workers are also not covered by the new pay scale. This means the new pay structure set for government employees appointed to regular posts will not directly apply to these temporary, contractual, trainee and special category workers.

Changes in allowances

Major changes have been made to the medical allowance under the new pay structure.

Under the eighth pay scale, the monthly medical allowance was Tk 1,500. Under the new structure, employees up to the age of 50 will receive Tk 3,000 per month while those above 50 will receive Tk 4,000 per month until the end of their post-retirement leave (PRL).

Retired pensioners will receive Tk 3,000 per month up to the age of 50, Tk 4,000 from 50 to 60, Tk 5,000 from 60 to 70 and Tk 6,000 after the age of 70.

Bangla New Year allowance reduced

Employees will now receive a Bangla New Year allowance every year at 15 percent of their basic salary. Previously, it was 20 percent.

Retired employees receiving a monthly net pension and lifelong family pensioners will also be entitled to this allowance based on the net pension received by the original pensioner.

Tiffin allowance

Employees in grades 11 to 20 will receive a monthly tiffin allowance of Tk 500. Previously, the allowance was Tk 200.

Transportation allowance

Employees in grades 11 to 20 whose workplaces are located within city corporation areas will receive a monthly transportation allowance of Tk 600. The allowance has increased by Tk 300.

Mobile phone allowance

A monthly mobile phone allowance of Tk 500 has been set for officials in grade 5 and above. Employees in grades 6 to 20 will receive Tk 150 per month.

Haor, island and char allowance

Employees serving in haor or char areas will receive an allowance of up to Tk 5,000.

Hill allowance

All employees appointed to district headquarters and upazila headquarters in the hill districts will receive a monthly hill allowance equal to 20 percent of their basic salary up to a maximum of Tk 5,000.

For other upazilas, they will receive 20 percent of their basic salary up to a maximum of Tk 5,500 per month.

Allowance for children with disabilities

If a government employee has a child with a disability, the employee will receive a monthly allowance of Tk 3,000. This will apply to a maximum of two children.

In addition, risk allowances and special benefits for employees in specific posts serving in high-risk services such as the Special Response Battalion (SRB), Ansar, Fire Service, Coast Guard, Anti-Corruption Commission and prisons have been retained according to the memorandum of the previous pay scale.

For employees serving in special agencies including the National Security Intelligence (NSI), Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Special Security Force (SSF) and President’s Guard Regiment (PGR), an additional 20 percent will be added to the previous allowance amounts.

House rent reduced

Government employees working in Dhaka North and Dhaka South city corporation areas and receiving salaries from the lowest step of grade 20 to the highest step of grade 16 will receive house rent at 60 percent of their basic salary. Previously, it was 65 percent.

Employees receiving salaries from the lowest step of grade 15 to the highest step of grade 10 will receive 50 percent. Previously, they received 55 percent.

Employees receiving salaries from the lowest step of grade 9 to the highest step of grade 5 will continue to receive 45 percent as before.

Employees from the lowest step of grade 4 to grade 1 and above will receive house rent at 40 percent of their basic salary in Dhaka North and Dhaka South city corporation areas. This rate remains unchanged.

The gazette said house rent rates are slightly lower in Khulna, Rajshahi, Chattogram, Sylhet, Barishal, Narayanganj, Cumilla, Rangpur, Gazipur, Mymensingh and Bogura city corporation areas as well as Savar and Cox’s Bazar municipal areas.

In these areas, employees receiving salaries from the lowest step of grade 20 to the highest step of grade 16 will receive house rent at 50 percent of their basic salary. The rate has been reduced by 5 percent.

In the same areas, employees receiving salaries from the lowest step of grade 15 to the highest step of grade 10 will receive 40 percent. Previously, they received 45 percent.

Employees receiving salaries from the lowest step of grade 9 to the highest step of grade 5 will receive 35 percent. Employees from the lowest step of grade 4 to grade 1 and above will receive house rent at 30 percent of their basic salary.

For other areas, employees receiving salaries from the lowest step of grade 20 to the highest step of grade 16 will receive house rent at 45 percent of their basic salary. Previously, they received 50 percent.

Employees receiving salaries from the lowest step of grade 15 to the highest step of grade 10 will receive 35 percent. Previously, they received 40 percent. The rate has been reduced by 5 percent.

In addition, employees receiving salaries from the lowest step of grade 9 to the highest step of grade 5 will receive 30 percent. Employees from the lowest step of grade 4 to grade 1 and above will receive house rent at 25 percent of their basic salary, according to the gazette.

The first phase of the new pay structure will be effective from July 1 to December 31 this year. During this period, officials in grade 9 and above will receive 40 percent of the increased basic salary while officers and employees in grades 10 to 20 will receive 50 percent.

The amount will be added to the salary drawn or payable on June 30.

The second phase of the new pay structure will take effect from January 1 to June 30, 2027. During this period, officials in grade 9 and above will receive 70 percent of the increased basic salary under the new pay structure while officers and employees in grades 10 to 20 will receive 75 percent.

The full increase in salaries will take effect from July 1, 2027.

As the new pay structure has been effective from July 1, employees and officers will also receive arrears.

Government officers and employees will begin receiving all other allowances under the new pay structure from January 1, 2028. Similarly, pension beneficiaries will receive all benefits under the new pay structure.

Under the new pay structure, basic salaries for officials in grades 1 to 10 will increase by up to 100 percent. Basic salaries for government employees in grades 11 to 20 will increase by up to 142 percent.

Various types of allowances will also increase proportionately.

20 grades under the new pay structure

The starting basic salary for grade 1 has increased from Tk 78,000 to Tk 156,000.

For grade 2, it has increased from Tk 66,000 to Tk 132,000.

For grade 3, it has increased from Tk 56,500 to Tk 113,000.

For grade 4, it has increased from Tk 50,000 to Tk 100,000.

Under the new pay structure, salaries have been set for all 20 grades.

For grade 5, the starting basic salary has increased from Tk 43,000 to Tk 86,000.

For grade 6, it has increased from Tk 35,500 to Tk 71,000.

For grade 7, it has increased from Tk 29,000 to Tk 58,000.

For grade 8, it has increased from Tk 23,000 to Tk 46,000.

For grade 9, it has increased from Tk 22,000 to Tk 44,000.

For grade 10, it has increased from Tk 16,000 to Tk 32,000.

For grade 11, the starting basic salary has doubled from Tk 12,500 to Tk 25,000.

For grade 12, it has increased from Tk 11,300 to Tk 24,300.

For grade 13, it has increased from Tk 11,000 to Tk 24,000.

For grade 14, it has increased from Tk 10,200 to Tk 23,500.

For grade 15, it has increased from Tk 9,700 to Tk 22,800.

For grade 16, it has increased from Tk 9,300 to Tk 21,900.

For grade 17, it has increased from Tk 9,000 to Tk 21,400.

For grade 18, it has increased from Tk 8,800 to Tk 21,000.

For grade 19, it has increased from Tk 8,500 to Tk 20,500.

For grade 20, it has increased from Tk 8,250 to Tk 20,000.