DHAKA, June 3, 2026 (BSS) - A review meeting aimed at accelerating the participation of officials and employees of scheduled banks in the "Progoti Scheme" under the Universal Pension Scheme was held at the Multipurpose Hall of the Finance Division at Bangladesh Secretariat this morning.

The meeting was chaired by Nazma Mobarek, secretary of the Financial Institutions Division. Representatives from the central bank and managing directors of all scheduled banks attended the meeting.

Executive Chairman of the National Pension Authority Dr. Md. Suratuzzaman presented the keynote paper highlighting the current progress of the Universal Pension Scheme, key features of the Progoti Scheme and its importance for private sector employees, said a press release.

He said a significant portion of around 18 million registered private sector workers in Bangladesh remain outside any post-retirement financial security arrangement. While government employees are covered under state pension facilities, no such institutional arrangement exists for most private sector workers.

To address this gap, the Universal Pension Scheme launched in 2023 has introduced the "Progoti Scheme" as an effective and sustainable solution for private sector employees, he added.

During the presentation, proposals to make the scheme more attractive were also discussed, including the introduction of a Shariah-based pension scheme, consideration of lifetime pension facilities for nominees and inclusion of outsourced employees under the Progoti Scheme.

Officials at the meeting said the Universal Pension Scheme has emerged as a landmark initiative to provide organised retirement benefits to employees in the country's large private sector.

They also noted that the government's Election Manifesto 2026 pledged to establish a pension fund aimed at ensuring financial security in old age for private sector workers under the chapter titled "Non-discriminatory Socio-economic Development and Sustainable State Capacity".

The meeting highlighted key features of the Progoti Scheme, including employer-employee shared contributions, monthly contribution options ranging from Taka 1,000 to Taka 15,000, lifetime monthly pension after retirement, income tax rebates on contributions and tax-free pension benefits.

Under the scheme, pensioners will also be entitled to receive up to 30 percent of the corpus as a one-time gratuity after reaching the age of 60, while investments remain backed by state guarantees.

According to the meeting, as of May 30, 2026, a total of 377,930 people had registered under four pension schemes, with total deposits nearing Taka 260 crore and overall investments reaching Taka 286 crore.

The meeting was informed that the National Pension Authority has already signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with 48 banks and financial institutions, while 24 banks are actively engaged in receiving and processing pension contributions.

The participants unanimously decided that representatives of Bangladesh Bank and managing directors of scheduled banks would take necessary measures to include their officials and employees under the Progoti Scheme.

The government has set a target to bring at least one member from each of around 40 million families under any of the pension schemes by 2030, and bankers are expected to play an important role in achieving that target.

In her concluding remarks, Secretary Nazma Mobarek instructed banks to establish separate pension desks at branches, display promotional banners and incorporate the Universal Pension Scheme into their institutional marketing campaigns to expand enrolment.

She also urged private banks to take initiatives to bring all their officials and employees under the Progoti Scheme. Assistant General Manager of the National Pension Authority Ayesha Haque moderated the meeting.