Average Salary in Bangladesh

Table of Contents

How much money does a Bangladeshi worker earn?

A Bangladeshi worker normally gets roughly 26,000 BDT per month.

In the year, the minimum wage for a Bangladeshi worker will be 5,300 Bangladeshi Taka or about 50 US Dollars a month. It is not much to live on but it is better than how it used to be earlier.

Nowadays, Bangladesh’s economy is improving rapidly as millions of people are joining work every year. So there has been a substantial increase in salaries across different sectors of Bangladesh.

The sector that employs the most people makes an average of 18000 BDT per month and those in the top layer in this sector make an average of 100000 BDT per month.

Salary includes allowances but excludes perks like free accommodation, vehicles to use when on duty, housing loans which are also paid by companies out of their own pocket – although they may put some conditions before giving such benefits.

Salary Distribution in Bangladesh

Salary Scale

Monthly salaries in Bangladesh vary from 6,580 BDT to 116,000 BDT. The government pays the lowest salary while successful companies pay higher salaries.

The lowest-paid workers in Bangladesh are employed in the garment industry, where the average monthly salary is around 6,580 BDT.

On the other hand, some of the highest-paid jobs in Bangladesh are petroleum engineers, who earned an annual mean wage of 116,000 BDT during 2016.

Salary Median

The median monthly wage is 28,100 BDT, which implies that half of the population earns less than 28,100 BDT and the other half earns more than 28,100 BDT.

The median monthly wage of a male worker is 37,000 BDT and the median monthly wage of a female worker is 26,900 BDT.

Percentiles

25% of the population earns less than 15,600 BDT, while 75% earn more. According to the BDT currency, 25% of Bangladeshis earn less than 15,600 BDT per year. 75% of them make more money.

The average salary is probably higher since this statistic does not take into account the income distribution of Bangladeshis who make a lot or a little bit more or less than the rest.

For example, it takes no consideration of somebody making 100 million BDT every month compared to somebody making 1 million BDT per month.

How much does the median pay vary from the average salary?

The average salary is the sum of all salaries divided by the number of employees. The median pay is the middle value when all salaries are arranged in ascending order.

If there are an even number of values in the list, then both the smallest and largest values are ignored when arranging them in ascending order.

The similarity between the two is that they are both calculated using the list of employees’ salaries. However, when compared to each other, there is generally a variation in how much their values match up.

When the amount of workers increases, median pay will become more accurate when compared to average salary because it takes an equal number of salaries on either side instead of only one like in the average salary’s case.

This is why when looking at large datasets for research or analysis in business, median pay is often used in place instead of the average salary in order to provide better results; although in some cases, average salary might be preferred if certain specific data points need to be emphasized over others.

Comparing Salaries Based on Years of Experience

How does an individual’s income increase over time in Bangladesh?

The answer to this question is different for each individual based on several factors.

For example, if someone works as a general practitioner most of their career and then switches to being a specialist in their late 40s, they will likely make more than someone who has been working as a general physician all throughout.

The reason for this is because the number of years an individual has worked has an impact on salary structure since most doctors’ salaries increase with experience and time spent at work.

In Bangladesh, income growth is not linear which means that for one person, earning BDT 10,000 a month now will not mean that they will continue to earn BDT 10,000 or even more as time goes on.

It’s possible that an individual could be earning BDT 20,000 per month after 5 years and then drop back down to BDT 10,000 per month after another five years due to salary cuts across the board.

Income growth also depends heavily on the industry and profession of an individual.

Some industries offer average yearly income increases while others stiffly stick with what is called a “salary grid” which means one has no chance for upward movement until they switch jobs and companies entirely.

Salary Comparisons According to Education

How does your degree of education affect your salary?

Getting a degree in Bangladesh is not cheap, and it is no surprise that education can have a major influence on one’s salary. The more schooling you have the higher salary you receive.

People with at least a bachelor’s degree make 32% ($1,37) more per year than people with only secondary-level education. If you have a postgraduate degree, you make an average of 36% ($1,92) more per year than those with a bachelor’s degree.

People who possess at least a secondary school certificate or equivalent make 22% ($1,03) more per year than those with only an elementary education (primary school).

For those who have attended college/university, the number is 32%, and for those who hold a postgraduate degree, it reaches 36%.

Some professions require specific degrees and this determines how much you can earn as well. Engineers and Computer Programmers make around 50% more than the average salary, which is about $1,75 per hour.

People who work in management positions make on average 36% more than the general population.

However, it’s important to note that not everyone with a degree is able to get their dream job right away. A postgraduate degree can be advantageous but your first job might still pay less than those of people who only have such a large amount of people who have these degrees.

Comparing Wages By Gender

Male workers earn 21% more than female employees in Bangladesh on average across all industries.

Employed males in Bangladesh earned an average monthly salary of BDT 40,629 (USD 513) while employed females reported earning an average monthly salary of BDT 33,855 (USD 429).

The gap between male and female salaries has been decreasing over time. In 2011 the gap was 25% with male employees earning about 29% more than their female peers.

Unsurprisingly, the industry is a major factor when looking at wages by gender. For example, transport and storage companies paid men 45% more than women on average while construction workers were paid 31% more than their women counterparts.

Although there is an obvious pay gap, Bangladesh has made progress when comparing itself to other countries around the world.

Bangladesh’s Average Yearly Salary Increase Percentage

In Bangladesh, how much does yearly pay increase cost? How often do workers get compensation increases?

Employees in Bangladesh may expect a wage rise of around 5% every 28 months.

Employees in Bangladesh may expect a monthly wage of around 3,450 BDT or $40 USD. Employees frequently get their wages topped off by company management after they have completed a task or fulfilled some sort of obligation.

This is typically done through an increase of 5% on the original number and is referred to as a “raise”. The average Bangladeshi worker gets about three raises each year.

Annual Growth Rates by Industry in

Education – 9%
Travel – 8%
Retail – 7%
Computer Services – 5%
Manufacturing – 3%
Construction – 2%

Higher and more regular increases are common in sectors that are growing.

Exceptions do happen, but in general, the economic status of every corporation is tightly linked to that of the nation or area in which it operates.

These numbers are subject to periodic revision.

Average Salary Increase Rates by Level of Experience in Bangladesh

Employees in junior-level positions like assistant manager, laboratory assistant, and data entry operator are offered an average salary increase rate of 4.5%.

Representatives on senior positions receive an average salary increase rate of 7% while managers are offered a staggering 8.5% salary increase rate.

The aforementioned increase rates are adjusted for inflation so employees can see how much purchasing power their earnings have after they have been raised by the company.

An employee’s educational background is usually one factor that determines his or her annual pay raise, which has become more prevalent among companies today as part of their employment packages.

Currently, despite having many job opportunities available to them because of low unemployment rates, college graduates are likely to receive a higher salary than someone with no formal education.

Bangladeshi Bonus and Reward Rates

How much and how often are bonuses given?

There are several different bonuses paid to employees in Bangladesh. There’s an annual performance-based bonus that is typically given at the end of the calendar year, a mid-year bonus, and there are cash gifts for special occasions.

The standard cash gift is equivalent to about three days’ regular pay. Mid-year bonuses can range anywhere from two weeks to one month’s worth of regular pay.

The amount of the annual bonus varies greatly depending on company policy or individual manager discretion. Bonuses to Bangladeshi employees are given in two installments: late December and mid-January.

The amount of the annual bonus is typically based on a company’s financial performance, profitability, and often the employee’s individual role.

Different Types of Bonuses

Bonuses Based on Individual Performance

Individual-based bonuses are given to employees who have achieved above-average results or have contributed in an exceptional manner. It is based on the individual’s performance and productivity.

They are given to motivate employees for their good work rather than just depending upon salary, which may not be enough for them.

Individual-based bonuses are very common among organizations that provide incentives for good performance though it varies from company to company.

An example of an individual-based bonus could be a percentage of an employee’s last year’s total sales while another example could be “Extra holiday days if your team meets the deadline”.

With these types of bonuses, employees feel more valued for their work because they earn something out of what they do, instead of having it all disappear behind a long list of deductions at the end of the month.

Bonuses for Business Performance

Bonuses based on business performance are provided when a company achieved a specific goal. Employees can receive extra compensation depending on their work and how satisfied the company is with their performance.

Bonuses are also provided to increase staff motivation, productivity, and efficiency. For certain employees, these bonuses can provide extra income for their household.

Bonuses for business performance are usually linked to specific tasks or goals that an individual is required to achieve over a set time period. These bonuses are the financial incentive for workers who consistently meet their job expectations.

Many companies offer merit awards each month as recognition of good work done by their employees. Some organizations include annual or long-term incentives as part of their overall compensation program in order to recognize key contributors beyond the normal review process.

Bonuses for Achieving a Goal

These bonuses are provided when a goal is achieved.

It is important for organizations to recognize the effort that employees put into their work which will help motivate them to achieve more in the future. Bonuses for achieving a goal are one form of recognition that can be given to employees in an organization.

These bonuses are only awarded when the goal is achieved and there is no guarantee that they will even receive them. This factor alone makes people work harder if they want to achieve more in order to receive these benefits in the future.

Organizations also like using this method of rewarding their employees because it is cheaper than hiring new employees or giving out raises for good performance. Bonuses provide organizations with a way of getting more done with their current workforce which helps management become more efficient.

End of the Year / Holiday Bonuses

These are considered taxable income and are given to an employee in addition to their salary or wages.

This is often given out during Christmas or the end of the year and is a performance-based bonus.

This means that an employer will determine whether or not a bonus will be given to a certain employee based on certain predetermined criteria, such as how well they have worked during the past year.

The amount of money an employer decides to hand out will vary depending on its business operations.

Comparing Bonus Rates by Career Field

What makes a job worth a lot of money and good bonuses in Bangladesh?

The answer is in the right career field which you choose. Some of the best paying job opportunities in Bangladesh are listed below:

Company Workers – This is a salary-based job, and its compensation package includes housing allowance, food allowance, transport allowance, and medical allowance. A company worker generally earns between BDT50-70 thousand per month plus an additional standard bonus of up to three months’ basic salary for their efforts
Bank Officials – The standard salaries for bank officials are not quite high but they earn very good bonuses on deposits made by customers every year. A large percentage of base pay is received as monthly variable pay based upon performance during the course of the year. They also receive salaries on Saturdays and Sundays.
Electricity Company Workers – This is one of the best paying jobs in Bangladesh; they are generally paid very well and receive good bonuses on electricity bills collected from people engaged in business. Their bonus rate varies among different parts of the country but it is around 10%.

Comparing Bonuses Based on Seniorityin Bangladesh

Seniority is basically the length of time you’ve been working with an organization.

In Bangladesh, it is very common practice to offer seniors some additional money as an incentive because they deserve it and help your company to retain good workers over the years which means fewer training hours needed in the future or better work quality due to experienced workers or managerial staff.

Most companies pay out yearly or half-year bonuses based on the number of months you have worked with them.

Senior employees are often rewarded with an additional 10% of their salary as a bonus, while managers are given around 5%. The seniority bonus helps companies show loyalty towards employees who they count on for many years.

Many companies tie the seniority bonus to work term or time-based.

Seniority bonuses usually come in the form of money and are not percentual so it does not matter what pay raise you receive throughout your career, except when you move positions. They are also often paid out before Eid-ul-Fitr or Onam so that workers can use them during those holidays.

Salary Ranges For Popular Professions in Bangladesh

Administration / Reception / Secretarial

Administrative Assistant – 13,800 BDT
Office Manager – 23,600 BDT
Receptionist – 9,640 BDT

Architecture

Architect – 31,900 BDT
CAD Drafter – 13,200 BDT

Banking

Bank Branch Manager – 47,800 BDT
Teller – 10,200 BDTBanking Operations Officer – 23,600 BDT
Chemical Industry
Production Manager (Pharmaceuticals) – 28,400 BDT
Production Operator (Pharmaceuticals) – 13,800 BDT

Construction / Building / Architecture

Project Manager – 31,900 BDT
Quantity Surveyor – 27,100 BDTCarpenter – 11,500 BDT
Construction Worker – 8,830 BDT
Electrician – 11,200 BDT

Finance / Accounting / Taxation

Accountant – 23,800 BDT
Book Keeper – 13,000 BDT

Healthcare

Dental Hygienist – 20,000 BDT
Dental Technician – 22,900 BDT
General Nurse / Midwife – 10,200 BDT
Hospital Administrator – 42,400 BDT
Medical Laboratory Technologist (Chemistry) – 9,640 BDT

Bangladeshi Average Hourly Wage

Bangladesh’s average hourly salary (or compensation per hour) is 150 BDT (Bangladeshi Taka). This indicates that the typical individual in Bangladesh gets around 150 BDT for every hour that they are at their job in Bangladesh.

This figure is the average, so some individuals may have a lower hourly wage and some may have a higher hourly wage.

Salary Comparisons Between the Public and Private Sectors

In Bangladesh, public sector workers earn on average 25% more than their private-sector colleagues across all sectors. This is particularly notable in the case of doctors, where public sector salaries are 50% higher.

In fact, within the private sector as a whole, only bankers earn more than those employed by the government.

In Bangladesh, private-sector workers earn on average 25% less than those employed by the government across all sectors. This is particularly pronounced in doctors and teachers where private-sector salaries are 50% lower.