The decision on a new pay scale for government employees will be made by the next government, Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed said on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters after meeting of the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase at the Secretariat, the adviser said, “The new pay commission has been formed, but the final decision will be left to the next government.”
On July 27, the government formed a pay commission headed by former finance secretary and PKSF chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan to review and recommend a new salary structure for public servants within six months. Currently, around 1.5 million government employees receive salaries under the 2015 pay scale.
The move came amid prolonged high inflation over the past two years, which has eroded real incomes. However, the adviser said inflation has slightly eased in recent months.
Dr. Salehuddin said the price of rice is now relatively stable, though non-food inflation remains high due to increased transportation and housing costs. “The government is taking steps to stabilise the market,” he said, citing ongoing initiatives to import urea and TSP fertilisers as well as boiled rice to keep food prices within reach.
He added that overall, the situation remains “satisfactory.”
During the briefing, it was also announced that the government will begin procuring Aman paddy from November 30. This year, paddy will be purchased at Tk 34 per kg, atap rice at Tk 49, and parboiled rice at Tk 50. The procurement targets are 50,000 metric tonnes of paddy and atap rice and 600,000 metric tonnes of parboiled rice.
IMF Loan to be released during Next Government
Regarding the ongoing loan programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed said the release of the sixth tranche will be decided after discussions with the next elected government.
He informed that an IMF mission is scheduled to visit Bangladesh in February next year to review the country’s economic situation and determine the future course of the programme.
“We told the IMF that we don’t need the next tranche immediately. They should first complete their review. The elected government will then decide how much financing it wants,” he said.
According to him, the IMF welcomed this approach and reiterated some of its policy advice—particularly on increasing revenue collection and expanding social safety net spending.
“The next government will be provided with a comprehensive understanding of the IMF loan and the related reform conditions,” Dr. Salehuddin added.