The government has decided to disburse a 5% yearly special incentive to public employees and pensioners on their gross salaries and allowances.
According to a finance ministry notification, the special allocation came into effect on 1 July.
The incentive will also be provided to employees of civil, self-governed and state-owned organisations; banks, insurance and financial institutions; the Border Guard Bangladesh and the police force under the National Pay Scales, in accordance with Section-15 of the Public Service Act 2018.
The beneficiaries will receive the incentive, no less than Tk1,000 for government employees and a minimum of Tk500 for pensioners, every year on the first day of July.
Government employees will get special pay at the rate of 5% on basic salary payable - minimum of Tk1,000 – while pensioners, including the reinstated ones, will enjoy the same rate on net payable pension.
Besides, government employees on post-retirement leave (PRL) are entitled to special benefits at a similar rate based on their basic pay last drawn prior to the ongoing PRL, the notice added.
The finance ministry notification further said suspended employees will be entitled to the special benefit at a rate of 5% on 50% of their basic pay immediately preceding the date of suspension.
Employees will not get the benefit while on leave without pay. Moreover, the benefit will not be applicable to retired employees who have withdrawn 100% of their gross pension.
In case of contractual appointment under the national pay scale, the incentive will be given based on their basic pay. Provided, if such contractual employee is a pensioner, they shall be entitled to this benefit in either case - on the basis of net pension or basic pay of the contractual employee.
Apart from the organisations managed by funds from the government's revenue budget, other organisations will have to bear the necessary expenses for providing the special benefits from their respective funds.
Last month, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina instructed Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal to pay 5% of basic salary, as a special incentive, to government employees and pensioners.
This benefit will be applicable on the basis of basic pay fixed in case of contractual appointment in any grade prescribed in the National Pay Scale. If the contractual employee is a pensioner, they shall be entitled to the benefit in either case on the basis of net pension or basic pay of the contractual employee.
As per the prime minister's recommendation, it has been calculated that the 11th-grade employees will get an incentive of Tk625.
The incentive will be Tk565 in the 12th grade, Tk550 in the 13th grade, Tk510 in the 14th grade, Tk485 in the 15th grade, Tk465 in the 16th grade, Tk450 in the 17th grade, Tk440 in the 18th grade, Tk425 in the 19th grade, and Tk412.50 in the 20th grade.
Similarly, first-grade employees will get an additional incentive of Tk3,900 as 5% of the basic salary of Tk78,000. The basic salary in the second grade starts at Tk66,000. At this stage, the final basic salary with a 5% annual salary increase every year stands at Tk76,490.
Based on the starting basic salary, the incentive will be Tk3,300. If the last basic salary is taken as the basis, the incentive will be Tk3,825.
In addition, according to the starting basic salary of the third grade of Tk56,500, the incentives will be Tk2,825. The incentive will be Tk2,500 in the fourth grade, Tk2,150 in the fifth grade, Tk1,775 in the sixth grade, Tk1,450 in the seventh grade, Tk1,150 in the ninth grade, and Tk1,100 in the ninth grade.
