Advisory council decisions: New pay panel formed for govt staff

The interim government yesterday formed a new pay commission for public officials and employees under the National Pay Scale, marking a key move towards adjusting salaries in line with inflation.

At a meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at his Tejgaon office, the council of advisers also gave in-principle approval to a set of significant legal and electoral reforms, including an amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and changes to local government election laws.

The "Code of Criminal Procedure (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2025" makes it mandatory for law enforcers to notify an arrested individual's family, lawyer, or close associates within 12 hours of arrest.

PAY COMMISSION

Briefing reporters at the Foreign Service Academy, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said the new pay commission will be headed by Zakir Ahmed Khan, a former finance secretary and current chairman of the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation.

The commission has been tasked with submitting its report within six months.

Shafiqul said the commission was formed in response to the sustained inflationary pressures since the last pay scale revision in 2015.

Under the Eighth National Pay Scale introduced that year, government salaries saw significant hikes. In the highest of 20 grades, the basic salary was raised by 95 percent to a fixed rate of Tk 78,000, while the lowest grade saw a 101 percent hike to Tk 8,250.

The scale also introduced annual increments and a festival bonus for Bangla New Year, though time scale and selection grade provisions were discontinued.

Currently, the government employs around 15 lakh officials and staff across the country.

NO ARBITRARY ARREST

Addressing the changes to the CrPC, Law Adviser Prof Asif Nazrul told reporters, "After arresting someone and taking them to the police station, their family must be informed. Under no circumstances can it take more than 12 hours. If the arrested person feels unwell, arrangements for their treatment must be made."

The new provisions also require police officers to carry identity cards and display nameplates. If asked, they must reveal their identity during an arrest.

The amendment significantly alters section 54 of the CrPC, which governs arrests on suspicion. Now, an arresting officer must have witnessed the offence or have reasonable grounds to believe the person committed it. A written explanation detailing the reasons for arrest must be provided, applicable to both cognisable and non-cognisable offences.

Furthermore, the officer must be convinced the person may abscond if not arrested. Both these conditions must be fulfilled before an arrest under section 54 is deemed lawful.

The amendment also allows submission of bail bonds online and the issuance of digital summons.

"If properly implemented, this law will play a transformative role in preventing arbitrary arrests, denial of arrest, and enforced disappearances," said Asif Nazrul.

Both the constitution and the CrPC require any arrested individual to be presented before a magistrate within 24 hours. The High Court has also instructed that families be notified immediately upon arrest.

LOCAL POLLS

In a major change to the local electoral landscape, the advisory council decided to remove political party symbols from elections to union parishads, municipalities, upazila parishads, and city corporations.

At the briefing, LGRD Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain said the council approved, in principle, the following ordinances to implement this change: the Local Government (City Corporation) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025; Upazila Parishad (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025; Local Government (Municipality) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025; and Local Government (Union Parishad) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.

Law Adviser Asif Nazrul noted that the provision for party-based local polls had been introduced by the previous government. "We are returning to the previous system (when local elections were held without party symbols)," he said.

LABOUR RIGHTS

The council also approved a proposal to ratify three International Labour Organization conventions: Convention 155 and Convention 187 on occupational safety and health, and Convention 190 on the elimination of violence and harassment in the workplace.