The recommended pay structure puts the highest basic pay at Tk 27500 and the lowest at Tk 2800.

Since the last pay structure was announced in 1997, there has been an inflation of 31.76 percent, the commission report said.

The commission also recommended two weekly holidays on Saturday and Sunday and 9am to 5pm office hours.

The 15-member delegation led by Chairman of the commission M Mujibul Huq submitted the report with nearly 200 recommendations to the PM.

The government will soon form a secretary level committee to scrutinise the recommendations in the light of the government's financial capabilities, a finance ministry source said.

This committee will then file a report to the PM on the implementation of the new pay structure, to be in effect from January 1 this year in retrospect.

Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman earlier said as its implementation will cost an additional Tk 5200 crore a year, implementation of the new pay structure may be staggered.

Thanking the commission for their hard work to prepare the report in a short time, Khaleda Zia said her government is always sincere about the welfare and interest of the government officials.

She said her government provided dearness allowance and increased medical allowance and festival bonus for the civil servants after formation of the Pay Commission.

The BNP government during its 1991-96 period simplified the pension drawing procedure for retired employees and ensured that the widow of a retired pensioner would continue to get the pension after her husband's death, she said.

The prime minister also mentioned the introduction of various allowances for freedom fighters, elderly citizens and physically handicapped people.

Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman, Principal Secretary to the PM Dr Kamal Siddiqui and Finance Secretary Zakir Ahmed Khan, among others, were present on the occasion.