The remuneration and allowances of the speaker and deputy speaker of parliament were also raised by 45 percent while that of lawmakers by 50 percent.

The cabinet also okayed a 45 percent salary hike for the judges.

Sources said the pay hike proposals are likely to be placed in the next session of parliament.

The move followed the pay hike of the government employees in January which came eight years after the last increase. The new pay scale for the government employees, which was approved in May but made effective from January, saw a 53 to 60 percent pay hike.

With yesterday's cabinet approval, the PM's salary has been increased for the seventh time while that of ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers ninth time since independence.

The government employees' salaries were hiked six times since independence.

The present government last time increased the salaries and facilities of the president, the prime minister, ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers in 2003. The lawmakers' remuneration and allowances were also increased the same year.

The president's monthly salary has now been increased to Tk 33,400 from 23,000 while the PM will get Tk 32,000 from earlier Tk 22,000.

Ministers' salary has been raised to Tk 29,000 from Tk 20,000, state ministers' to Tk 26,100 from Tk 18,000 and deputy ministers' to Tk 24,650 from Tk 17,000.

The chief justice will now get Tk 30,450 a month from earlier Tk 21,000, the judges of the Appellate Division Tk 29,000 from earlier Tk 20,000 and the judges of the High Court Division Tk 26,825 from earlier Tk 18,500.

The cabinet secretary and the principal secretary to the prime minister will now get Tk 24,500 a month which was earlier around Tk 15,750.

Under the new pay scale, the secretaries get Tk 23,000 (previously Tk 15,000).

In the current budget, about Tk 9 crore has been allotted for the salaries and allowances of the ministers. The amount will increase in the revised budget due to the latest salary hike, said sources in the finance ministry.

In the seventh parliament, the PM's salary was increased, keeping unchanged other facilities while the salaries, allowances and other facilities of the ministers were increased.

FACILITIES OF THE PM
The PM's salary was only Tk 2,000 a month in 1973. Other facilities included a block fund equivalent to the real expenditure, free government vehicles, a Tk 2 lakh optional fund, and house decoration at the government expenses if the PM stays at own house.

In 2003, the rent of the PM's house was fixed at Tk 50,000 and daily allowance Tk 1,000.

Other facilities were also revised: furniture worth Tk 1.5 lakh if the PM decides not to live in government allotted residence, Tk 14 lakh for insurance, an optional fund of Tk 50 lakh and public vehicles as required for the PM and her family.

FACILITIES OF MINISTERS
A minister's salary was Tk 1,500 in 1973. Other facilities included a Tk 1,000 block fund, a Tk 25,000 optional fund, Tk 20,000 for furniture if a minister lived in his own house or Tk 1,000 as house rent a month, Tk 1 lakh for insurance and Tk 50 as daily allowance.

A state minister then used to receive Tk 1,300 as monthly salary, a block allocation of Tk 750, Tk 15,000 for furniture or Tk 750 as monthly house rent, Tk 1 lakh for insurance, Tk 25 as daily allowance and a Tk 10,000 optional fund.

During the same period, a deputy minister's salary was Tk 1,100 a month. Besides, he used to receive Tk 15,000 for furniture for his own house or Tk 750 as monthly house rent, a Tk 7,500 optional fund and some other facilities.

In 2003, the house rent of a minister was raised to Tk 25,000, that of a state minister to Tk 20,000 and of a deputy minister Tk 18,000. The optional fund was re-fixed at Tk 3 lakh, 2 lakh and 1.5 lakh for ministers, state minister and deputy ministers.

Daily allowance of the ministers was increased to Tk 750 while of the state and deputy ministers to Tk 600.