Bangladesh Bank officials hold a special general meeting in protest against the new national pay scale, which the officials say has downgraded their positions, on the BB headquarters premises on Tuesday. — New Age photo
Bangladesh Bank officials on Tuesday took part in a demonstration to protest at the new 8th national pay scale that ‘socially and economically relegated them in comparison to first class gazetted officials.’
Bangladesh Bank Officers Welfare Council organised the demonstration Tuesday morning at the central bank premise in the capital demanding their base salary be upgraded to the 8th grade in the pay scale, from the current 9th grade.
The government in the new pay scale set the salary of an assistant director level official at the ninth grade, whereas an assistant secretary-level official has been put on the eighth grade. In the previous scale, they were both at the same grade.
BB general manager Md Awlad Hossain Chowdhury at the demonstration said central bank officials had enjoyed separate pay scale during the Pakistan period, which no government has done since.
‘Moreover, the government has undermined our dignity in the new pay scale which is humiliating. The BB should go to court to resolve the issue,’ he said.
BB officers’ council vice president HM Delowar Hossen said they would continue the movement to establish their rights.
The council arranged a press conference Tuesday evening where it announced a series of programmes to press their demand.
The council general secretary Mohammad Shahriar Siddiqui said the organisation would issue a memorandum to the Prime Minister in this regard.
A copy of the memorandum will also be sent to the Finance Minister, Finance Secretary and the BB Governor, he said.
BB officials will wear black badges from Sunday in continuation if the government did not meet their demand.
BB officials will resort to stronger protests if the government does not fulfil our demands, he said.
When asked whether they will resort to work abstention, he said they would take decisions based on circumstances.
He said the government should upgrade the executive director post of the central bank to 1st grade in line with the recommendation of 8th pay scale.
According to the new pay scale, a 1st grade post will be created at a government institution if 100 first class officials are employed.
More than 3,000 first class officials are now employed at the central bank but the government did not upgrade the EDs post to 1st grade, Shahriar said.
According to the published gazette of the national pay scale, government officials under the cadre service and the teachers of public universities will now enjoy 8th grade at entrance level, but BB officials have been left behind.
Many central bank officials earlier joined the BB by leaving the cadre service and teaching profession at public universities, he said.
The latest decision will put an adverse impact on the central bank as talented employees will not be interested in joining the BB, he said.
The council president Siddiqur Rahman Mollah presided over the press conference.
Source: New Age
