Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Tuesday said that the Pay Commission is carrying on its work without interruption and the government will announce a submission date for its report at an appropriate time.
“I will speak about the pay scale on the day I feel it is appropriate,” Dr Salehuddin said.
Talking to reporters after the meetings of the Advisers Council Committee on Public Purchase and the Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs at the Secretariat, the adviser dismissed speculations surrounding the progress of the Pay Commission and said premature comments would not be helpful.
“The Pay Commission has not stopped its work at all. They are working continuously and uninterruptedly. Whether they are communicating with us regularly or not is not the main issue.”
He said the commission, comprising 21 members, is examining the matter in detail, taking into account all relevant considerations. “It is a substantive task. It requires detailed analysis.”
Dr Salehuddin indicated that discussions with senior officials could take place shortly, after which the commission would return with its findings.
He also said separate inputs are being prepared for different services. “There is a separate report for the judiciary. For defence, there is a sub-committee. These are distinct components.”
Addressing questions about the timeline, the adviser said a specific date for submission of the report would be fixed and communicated later.
“I will announce a date. When you know the date of the report’s submission, you will know it officially,” he said, adding that implementation would be a separate stage altogether.
“Receiving the report is one thing; implementation is another. Once the report is received, the government will examine it carefully before moving forward,” Dr Salehuddin said.
Responding to queries about the role of the Bangladesh Bank governor, the finance adviser made it clear that the central bank has no authority over the national pay scale. “The governor has nothing to do with the pay scale. He may speak about Bangladesh Bank matters, but the pay scale is a separate issue that applies to the entire government.”
Dr Salehuddin also said the Pay Commission has been open to feedback and interaction with stakeholders.
“Many people have submitted representations, many have met the commission. We encouraged the formation of different committees and open interactions so that all views can be heard,” he said.
The adviser reiterated that the government is treating the pay scale revision as a serious and comprehensive exercise, stressing that decisions would be taken only after due scrutiny of the commission’s recommendations.