Government employees on Friday staged a rally demanding the publication and implementation of the 9th pay scale gazette in line with the recommendations of the Ninth National Pay Commission.

The rally was held at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital around 9:00am on Friday (6 February).

Earlier, chief coordinator of the Government Employees’ Unity Council for Realisation of Demands, Waresh Ali, said the movement was being carried out peacefully and in accordance with service discipline rules. He said there had been an expectation that the government would publish the gazette of the Ninth National Pay Commission by 31 January.

As that did not happen, the programme was extended. He said a rally and protest march would be held at the Central Shaheed Minar on Friday to press home the demand.

Employees from various government and semi-government organisations, including the Bangladesh Government Officers and Employees Welfare Association, as well as offices covered under the pay scale, took part in the rally.

With only a few days remaining until the 13th national parliamentary election scheduled for 12 February, government employees have continued their movement demanding the issuance of the Ninth National Pay Scale gazette ahead of the polls.

Leaders of the movement said a nationwide work stoppage was observed in the absence of any visible progress from the government, and announced plans for a protest march following the rally.

Reiterating their position, Waresh Ali said, “Employees are continuing the movement peacefully and within the bounds of service discipline. The government was expected to issue the gazette of the Ninth National Pay Commission by 31 January. As the gazette was not published within the stipulated time, the programmes have been further intensified.”