Execution of the pay scale for Bangladesh Bank depends on exempting it from the Services (Reorganisation and Conditions) Act 1975, which is not easy as parliament is not in session now.
An official of the finance ministry yesterday said they were also holding off the pay scale for the four state-owned commercial banks as “it is not fair to execute only one of the pay scales.”
The Finance Division is now waiting for directives from the government high-ups. The matter was discussed at a meeting between Finance Minister AMA Muhith and Bank and Financial Institutions Division (BFID) Secretary Dr Aslam Alam on Wednesday.
Aslam Alam yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune that the Banking Division would send letters to the boards of directors of the four banks – Sonali, Rupali, Agrani and Janata – on Sunday, asking them to execute the pay scale.
“We will send the recommendations of the secretary committee on the four banks’ pay scale to their boards of directors for implementation. The boards will also resolve the provident fund and salary discriminations,” he said.
“We know the newly recruited staff members of these banks are interested in the new pay scale, but I have conducted a survey and it revealed that 60% of the older staff were against it.”
Finance Secretary Fazle Kabir said three days ago that the BFID would execute the pay scale through the boards of the four banks.
The Bangladesh Bank pay scale was sent to the law ministry for vetting. After the ministry gives its approval, it will be sent for the prime minister’s nod.
The Finance Division had declined to implement the pay scale of the four state-owned commercial banks as it found no law under which a common pay scale for the banks could be materialised.
Currently, the four banks have roughly 90,000 officers and employees while the central bank employs about 6,000.