Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Friday said the government is likely to announce on Sunday a Pay Commission on temporary basis for recommending raising the salaries and allowances of the government officials and employees.“We won’t be able to constitute a permanent Pay Commission, and Pay and Services Commission right now because there is a need for enacting law for this. We’re now forming a Pay Commission, which will be a temporary one,” he said.
The Finance Minister was talking to UNB after attending a grand rally and reception accorded to him by the Bangladesh Audit and Accounts Officers Council and Auditors Welfare Association at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the morning.
The government is appointing the chairman and a member for the Pay Commission for one-year period, Muhith told the news agency, adding: “By that time the Permanent Pay Commission will be there in place and they will continue.”
Asked when the announcement to this end will come, Muhith said it would be on Sunday as it has already been approved. “The decision to this end was taken two to three days back.” Earlier, addressing the grand rally as the chief guest, the Finance Minister said the government had taken a decision to form the permanent Pay Commission, and Pay and Services Commission for the government officials and employees for which a law is needed to be enacted.
“For this, the Pay Commission could not be formed in that style as we’re now giving a foundation to that permanent commission through appointing the chairman and a member,” he added. Terming it a ‘rational decision’ of the government, Muhith said the next government no matter which party assumes power would implement and carry on with this decision.
Muhith also said although the act of accounting and auditing is related, but many think that there should be a distinction between these two activities. The Finance Minister said those who usually do accounting should also have knowledge on auditing. “If everyone comes with open mind, then I think it would be possible to separate accounts auditing from accounting.”
Turning to the demand of upgrading the posts of junior auditor, auditor, SAS Super and Auditor and Accounts Officer, he said the Finance Division has already given necessary opinions to this end. “I hope the other necessary processes at the Ministry of Public Administration will be done soon.”
Muhith said since the government depends on people’s tax and duty for carrying out its activities, there is a need for accountability and transparency on how the public fund is being used. “For this, there is a need for giving special emphasis on accounting and auditing.”
Chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Public Administration Khandaker Asaduzzaman, chairman of the JS body on Public Accounts MA Mannan and Comptroller and Auditor General Masud Ahmed spoke on the occasion as special guests chaired by Bangladesh Audit and Accounts Officials Council president M Shafiul Azam.
Convener of the Auditors Welfare Association AKM Shahjalal Miah spoke on the occasion as the key speaker. Earlier on October 6 at a grand rally of professionals, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had announced a flat 20 percent rise in dearness allowance for the public servants.
Just three months ahead of the next national election, the Prime Minister also unveiled the government plan to form a permanent Pay Commission for recommending raising the salaries and allowances of the government officials and employees.
The government issued a gazette notification the next day, granting the dearness allowance that said it would take retrospective effect from July 1. The 7th Pay Commission was formed in 2007 during the caretaker government regime and the present government raised the wages of the government employees on July 1, 2009 as per the Commission’s suggestion. The government had formed pay commission for the public servants in 2005, 1996, 1984, 1976 and in 1972. Currently, the number of public servants is around 1.3 million. – UNB
