Published: 12:25 AM, 02 September 2026
TIB for asset disclosure by employees as condition for new pay scale
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has welcomed the cabinet's approval of the new national pay scale for government employees, congratulating those who will benefit from it. In a statement on Tuesday, the organisation renewed its call for making the implementation of the pay scale conditional on government employees and their dependent family members updating and disclosing their income and expenditure records annually.
TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said the decision to implement the pay scale in three phases was reasonable despite severe financial constraints, reports bdnews24.com.
He said salaries and allowances must be aligned with the cost of living to ensure professional excellence and corruption-free services.
"In other words, the new increase in salaries and allowances should apply only to those employees who update and disclose their income, expenditure, and asset declarations every year.
"The new pay scale should only be applied to people who disclose this information. Putting this requirement into practice would make it simpler to guarantee accountability and transparency as well as public services free from harassment and corruption," he was quoted as saying by TIB.
"It must be recognised that many government employees perform their professional duties honestly, remain free from irregularities and corruption, and lead honest lives. For them, the new pay scale is entirely justified and essential.
"On the other hand, for those engaged in acquiring illicit wealth and assets through dishonesty, irregularities, corruption, and abuse of power, such benefits are not only unjustified but entirely unnecessary.
"Their appetite for wealth is so insatiable that if the new pay scale is implemented across the board without ensuring effective accountability mechanisms, the level of corruption in the public sector will increase further."
The TIB chief also referred to the government's expectation that the new pay structure would improve employees' financial security and motivation and help build an efficient, dynamic, and people-oriented public administration.
The organisation also warned that higher salaries and allowances could further increase the prices of essential goods and contribute to inflation, worsening the situation for everyone, particularly the low-income working population already facing rising prices.
TIB urged the government to take measures with foresight and ensure that the disclosure condition is enforced alongside the new salaries and allowances.
