Government wants to know how to amend the relevant law to introduce a separate salary structure for BB and four state banks

The government has sought a detailed legal suggestion from law ministry on a separate pay scale for Bangladesh Bank and four state-owned commercial banks.

Earlier, the ministry gave an opinion which, according to the officials, was not complete as it only suggested amendment of the relevant law but didn’t say how to amend it. 

Now the finance ministry wants suggestions on how to amend the Services (Reorganisation and Conditions) Act, 1975 to implement a separate pay scale for the banks.

Bangladesh Bank’s pay scale is out of the purview of the act.

To bring the staff of the central bank under a separate pay scale with the state-owned four commercial banks, the law will have to be amended.

“The previous legal advice from the law ministry was not enough and lacked adequate instructions on amendment of the law,” said a finance ministry official.

“Due to pressure from Bangladesh Bank, the law ministry might have done it hurriedly.”

Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Tuesday reiterated that the government would soon implement a

separate pay scale for Bangladesh Bank and four state-owned commercial banks.

He said: “The process of implementation would start from where it got stuck.”

According to the official sources, the implementation division of the finance ministry sought suggestion again from the law ministry on a separate pay scale before January 5 election.

Implementation of separate pay scale for the employees of Bangladesh Bank and four state banks has been stuck due to legal complexities.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina signed the recommendations of the secretaries’ committee on separate pay scale on November 12 last year.

Under the new 11-grade pay scale which will replace the existing 20-grade pay structure, the basic salary for those in the lowest grade will be Tk6,000 and for the highest grade will be Tk55,000.

Currently, the four banks have around 90,000 employees while the central bank has nearly 6,000. 

City Bank Limited donated blankets to Bangladesh Bank for distribution among the cold-affected poor people of the country recently.

Faruq Moinuddin, Additional Managing Director of City Bank handed over the blankets to A.F.M. Asaduzzaman, General Manager, Governor’s Secretariat of Bangladesh Bank, said a press release.

Mohammad Zahirul Islam, Head of CSR and Yeahia Mirza, Head of PR of the bank were also present on the occasion.

AKM Shahidul Haque, Managing Director and CEO, and Khondoker Nayeemul Kabir, Deputy Managing Director of Midland Bank Limited, are seen with the participants of a training course at the head office of the bank in Dhaka recently.

Midland Bank Limited organised a training programme on “Internet Banking Operation and Administration” for officials of the bank at Head Office of the bank recently.

AKM Shahidul Haque, Managing Director and CEO and Khondoker Nayeemul Kabir, Deputy Managing Director of the bank jointly inaugurated the programme, said a press release.

Some 24 officials of the bank participated in the training programme initiated by the Information Technologies Division of the bank.

In his inaugural speech the CEO of the bank emphasised on the maximum utilization of technologies in the day to day activities of the bank and importance of necessity of the training for the bankers.

AKM Ahsan Kabir, AVP and Head of IT division of the bank presented detail about the Internet Banking activities in the programme.

Prof Dr. AHM Habibur Rahman, Chairman, Board of Directors of Sonali Bank Limited, distributes blanket to a cold-hit poor man in the city on Wednesday.

 Sonali Bank Limited distributed blankets among the cold-hit poor people at different places in the capital on Wednesday under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Professor Dr. AHM Habibur Rahman, Chairman, Board of Directors of Sonali Bank Limited inaugurated the function, said a press release.

Nazibor Rahman, Shekhar Dutta, Selima Ahmad, Md. Mahbub Hossain, Saheb Ali Mridha, Md. Enamul Haque Chowdhury, Directors and Prodip Kumar Dutta, Managing Director and CEO were present at the moment.
The blanket distribution function will continue countrywide.

Helal Ahmed Chowdhury, Managing Director and CEO of Pubali Bank Ltd, seen with the newly-promoted Assistant General Managers at a function to distribute promotion letters recently.

Some 59 Senior Principal Officers (SPOs) of Pubali Bank Limited were promoted to Assistant General Managers (AGMs) as recognition to their outstanding performance in the profession.

Helal Ahmed Chowdhury, Managing Director and CEO of the Bank handed over the letters to the newly promoted AGMs at a function as the chief guest recently, said a press release.

The CEO of the bank urged the bankers to work sincerely and honestly. “One can become successful banker by exploring skills and talents at the highest level,” he said. He advised all to abide by the rules and regulations of the Bangladesh Bank and other regulatory bodies to make the successful as a very compliant bank.

MA Halim Chowdhury, AMD, Syed Aziz Ahmed, GM of HRD and other senior executives of the bank were also present on the occasion.