Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali on Thursday announced that government staff and officials appointed after 30 June 2025 will be included in the freshly launched Universal Pension Scheme, despite ongoing protests by a number of workers against the pension reform.

“Already, a decision has been taken to include the newly appointed officials of the state-owned enterprises. From 1 July 2025, newly appointed officials of other public offices will be included in the system,” the finance minister said at the national parliament while outlining budget plans for the fiscal year 2024-25.

“The operating expenditures of the Universal Pension system is being borne by the government and the profit earned by its fund is expected to be distributed among the pension policy holders. Hence, the Universal Pension system is going to be one of the most lucrative pension schemes in the world,” Mahmood Ali said.

“If all the citizens above 18 years of age can be included in the system. their social safety will be bolstered.”

There are five schemes under the Universal Pension Scheme with one named Prottoy targeting government workers in state-run and autonomous organisations.

The other four are for non-government, private sector workers.

Among the schemes, only Prottoy and Somota would receive government funding, but a section of the public sector workers believe that the government contribution would be less than what is provided under the existing scheme.

To protest the pension reform, the Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers’ Association (FBUTA) has given the government the 24 June deadline to revoke the decision of including them under the Prottoy scheme.

Otherwise, they would observe a 3-day work abstention from 25 June, and a full-day abstention on 30 June, the teachers under FBUTA have declared.

If their demand is still not met, they would enforce blockade from 1 July, the teachers have threatened.