The government has no plan to announce new pay scale or dearness allowance for the government employees right now, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said in Parliament on Tuesday.

The minister said this in reply to a tabled question from Gonoforum MP Mokabbir Khan.

Read more: Primary school headmasters to get grade 10 pay scale: SC

The finance minister said that the government issued the National Pay Scale Order in 2015, which is still in force.

In the past, government employees were given the benefit of salary increment every year as per the pay scale order. 

But, due to the provision of increase in percentage of the basic pay in the National Pay Scale 2015, the annual salary of the government employee increase at a fixed rate up to a certain limit, which has been playing a positive role in improving the standard of living of the government employees at all levels, the minister said. 

“Amid the post-Covid global recession, inflation has increased around the globe  with hike in commodity prices, which has also affected Bangladesh.The government has taken various steps to control inflation and normalize the market situation.”

Read more: Govt employees demand amending 8th pay scale

The finance minister said that in the current situation, the government has launched a programme to provide daily essentials through family cards at a lower price.

The government is trying to take practical steps to increase the financial capacity of  people.

“In this situation, there is no plan to announce new pay scale or dearness allowance for the government employees at this moment,” Kamal said.