Dhaka: A day after public university teachers’ announcement of indefinite work abstention demanding reinstatement of selection grade and solution to grade controversies in the 8th national pay scale, Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Sunday termed the indefinite teachers’ work abstention illogical.

The finance minister came up with the view at a press briefing at the Finance Ministry on Sunday.

The Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers’ Association (FBUTA) on Saturday announced indefinite work abstention from 11 January demanding reinstatement of selection grade and solution to grade controversies in the 8th national pay scale. Class, exams and evening programmes will also remain suspended from the scheduled date.

The minister said, ‘Their strike is nothing. The teachers announced the strike without knowing details about the 8th pay scale structure. There is no logical ground for the strike.’

The finance minister asked teachers whether they announce movement to upgrade university education standard.

A journalist asked the minister what is the solution as the government and the public university teachers are firm in their position, the minister replied, ‘There is no way to offer solution.’  

FBUTA secretary general ASM Maksud Kamal at a press briefing on Saturday said, ‘The finance minister has failed to keep his promises to us. So, this demonstration has been announced.’

As part of the demonstration, Maksud Kamal said, ‘There will be sit-in programme at all public universities on 7 January. Teachers will wear black badges on Sunday [3 January]. Also, students will be given idea of different aspects of the pay scale.’

8th pay scale gazette notification

The government on 15 December 2015 issued a gazette notification on the 8th pay scale for public servants with retrospective effect from July 2015.  

The 8th pay scale has no provision for time scale and selection grade.

The new pay scale is in effect from 1 July 2015, he said adding that the officials will receive arrears of the first three months under the new pay scale with the salary of December while that of the remaining three months with the salary of January 2016.

The government expenditure in the fiscal 2015-2016 will increase by Tk 15,000 to implement the new pay scale, informed the finance minister.

On 7 September, the Cabinet approved the new pay scale for government officers and employees raising the monthly basic salary of the Grade 1 public officials to Tk 78,000 (fixed) while the basic pay of Grade 20 employees at Tk 8,250.

A New Year allowance has been introduced in the pay-scale.

The Cabinet approved the new pay scale in line with the recommendations of the Pay and Services Commission 2013, Armed Forces Pay Committee 2013 and the Secretary-level Review Committee on the pay commission.

According to the new pay scale, the Cabinet Secretary, the Principal Secretary and the Army Chief would get fixed Tk 86,000 as the monthly salary.

Senior Secretaries of the government alongside the Armed Forces officials with the rank equivalent to Lt General would get monthly fixed salary of Tk 82,000 while that of the Secretaries and Armed Forces official equivalent with the rank of Major General Tk 78,000 per month.

According to the new pay structure, the monthly basic salary of the Grade 2 public servants is Tk 66,000, for Grade 3 officials Tk 56,500, for Grade 4 officials Tk 50,000, for Grade 5 officials Tk 43,000, for Grade 6 officials Tk 35,500, for Grade 7 officials Tk 29,000, for Grade 8 officials Tk 23,000, for Grade 9 officials Tk 22,000, for Grade 10 officials Tk 16,000.

The Grade 11 government officials would get monthly basic salary of Tk 12,500, Grade 12 officials Tk 11,300, Grade 13 public servants Tk 11,000, Grade 14 with Tk 10,200, Grade 15 with Tk 9,700, Grade 16 with Tk 9,300, Grade 17 with Tk 9,000, Grade 18 with Tk 8,800, Grade 19 with Tk 8,500 and Grade 20 with Tk 8,250.

With the implementation of the new pay scale, the existing 20 percent dearness allowance was abolished.

For the first time, the increment would be determined as per the percentage of the basic salaries instead of the efficiency bar and the specific increment, while the increment would be applicable for all government officials and employees from 1 July.

The annual increment of the public servants from Grade 20-6 would be 5 percent of the basic salary, for Grade 5 it would be 4.5 percent, for Grade 4-3 it would be 4 percent, for Grade 2 it would be 3.75 percent while there would be no increment for the Grade 1 officials as it is fixed one.

Besides, the annual increment would be determined on cumulative rate for which the public servants would be benefitted more as there would be enhanced salaries increase.

The new pay scale would discontinue with the time scale and selection grade system for the government officials and employees.

Besides, a new allowance, ‘Bengali New Year’, was introduced which would be 20 percent of the basic salary as it is expected to have a cultural impact alongside the financial one.

The public servants upon their retirement will be more benefited as per the new pay scale as they would get pension at a rate of 90 percent on their salaries when they would retire instead of the existing 80 percent.

The new pay scale is also applicable for the MPO-enlisted teachers.

The eighth Pay and Services Commission on 13 May last submitted its recommendations for public servants with a minimum basic salary of Tk 8,250 and a maximum of Tk 75,000.

In 31 December 2014, the eighth Pay Commission, led by Mohammed Farashuddin, filed its report suggesting doubling the basic pay for civil servants with a minimum pay of 8,200 and maximum 80,000.