The new national pay scale by the present government is undoubtedly a good initiative which has satisfied a majority of the country's government employees. But it appears that a provision related to the date of increment is discriminatory. Section 11 (2) of the gazette on the new pay scale states: “Annual increment from 1st July up to the last day prior to publication of the services (Pay and Allowances) Order, 2015 via gazette, i.e. 14 December, shall be payable”. It implies that the increment due within the first five and a half months of the financial year shall be payable, but no increment shall be payable if it fell within the last six and a half months of the fiscal year. This is clearly discriminatory.

It appears that this discriminatory provision may have been incorporated for upholding the interest of a section of officials who played important roles in the framing of this government order. The government should therefore rectify this provision to give equal benefits and opportunities to all. That is, either there should be no increment throughout the financial year (July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016) or everybody should be given salary increments (irrespective of date) throughout the financial year 2015-16.

An aggrieved government employee
Ramna, Dhaka-1000