Published: 11:53 PM, 31 August 2026
Govt approves National Pay Scale 2026
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman chairs a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Division conference room on Monday. -PMO
Ending the wait, the government on Monday approved the National Pay Scale 2026, raising the basic salary of government employees.
The new pay scale will take effect from July 1, 2026, with the minimum basic salary for Grade 20 is Taka 20,000 and the maximum for Grade 1 Taka 156,000.
The pay scale was approved at a cabinet meeting on Monday with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair. The cabinet also approved the Joint Services Instructions 2026 for the armed forces in line with the new pay structure.
The pay scale was given in a bid to make the salaries, allowances and other financial benefits of the public servants more rational and time befitting, Cabinet Secretary Dr Nasimul Gani said at a press briefing at the PID conference room on Monday evening.
Nasimul Gani said, "The National Pay Scale-2026 has been approved after reviewing the report of the secretary-level committee formed on the basis of the reports of the National Pay Commission-2025 and the Armed Forces Pay Committee-2025."
He said the cabinet approved the new pay structure considering the government's financial capacity, the country's overall economic situation, inflation, cost of living, living standards of government employees and the need for a balanced and rational salary structure.
The new pay scale, being implemented after 12 years, will be introduced in three phases, according to a decision taken at the highest level of the government.
According to the implementation plan, 30 percent of the basic pay under the new scale may be made effective from July 1 this year, another 35 percent at the beginning of the next year and the remaining portion in July of the subsequent fiscal year.
Various allowances may be implemented from January of that fiscal year, as recommended.
The interim government formed the 23-member 9th National Pay Commission on July 27, 2025, nearly a decade after the formation of the 8th Pay Commission.
The commission, headed by former finance secretary Zakir Ahmed Khan, submitted its report to then Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on January 21 this year.
As an interim measure, the government has decided to significantly increase net pensions on a slab basis, considering the living standards and financial security of retired pensioners.
Under the decision, net pensions will increase by 100 percent for those receiving Tk 9,000 or less per month, 75 percent for those receiving Tk 9,001 to Tk 20,000, 65 percent for Tk 20,001 to Tk 30,000, 60 percent for Tk 30,001 to Tk 40,000 and 55 percent for Tk 40,001 or above.
As a result, pensioners who retired long ago and currently receive relatively low net pensions will receive proportionately higher increases.
The Finance Division will issue the necessary gazettes, orders and instructions for smooth implementation of the National Pay Scale 2026. These will specify the detailed provisions on pay fixation, allowances, pensions and other post-retirement benefits.
The concerned ministries, divisions, directorates, offices and agencies will receive instructions to take necessary measures for proper implementation of the approved pay scale.
