Employee benefits in Bangladesh are well defined supported by the legislation. How an employer treats its employees and employee retention rate has a direct effect on its development, profits, and long-term viability. Entities in Bangladesh’s growing industries, such as textiles, IT, banking, manufacturing, and NGOs, are starting to see that employee perks are not simply an expense, but a smart investment in the long term. Employers may follow Bangladesh’s labor laws, keep talented workers in a competitive employment market, and develop a good reputation as a responsible employer by offering them suitable benefits as per the laws of Bangladesh and as per local norms. Bangladesh Consultant is an expert in making sure that HR, payroll, and employee benefits are all in line with the law in Bangladesh. We make sure that your business, whether it’s a SMR, a large corporation, or a non-profit, stays within the law while also making enticing employee benefit packages while keeping the benefit of the employer in mind.
The Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 and the Bangladesh Labour Rules 2015 set the rules for required employee benefits. Every employer must do the following:
Pay and Overtime:
Employees must be paid the minimum wage set by the government. Overtime/working on weekends is to be paid at twice the normal rate.
Leave and Encashment:
· For every 18 days of work, employees get one day of annual leave.
· Casual Leave: 10 days a year.
· Sick Leave: Employees get 14 days off with full pay.
Festival Bonus:
Employees get two festival bonuses a year, usually during Eid. Each bonus is usually equal to one month’s pay.
Provident Fund: Employers can set up provident funds that both the employer and the employee have to make equal contribution. Provident fund is mandatory only when one-third of the employees puts in a written requisition to have a provident fund. Both employers and employees generally contribute 7-10% of the base salary.
Statutory compensation or gratuity:
· Employees are entitled to gratuity funds when they leave or are terminated (other than for misconduct) after a specified number of years of service.
· Usually, this is based on 30 days’ worth of basic pay for each year of service.
· If the employers do not have a gratuity scheme in place they have to pay statutory compensation to the employees which is generally equivalent to gratuity.
Maternity Leave Benefits:
· Female employees can take 8 weeks of paid maternity leave before and after giving birth (for a total of 16 weeks).
· Employers can’t fire or treat pregnant workers unfairly.
Health and Safety at Work:
Employers must ensure that the workplace is safe and well-managed. In several industries, including RMG (Ready-Made Garments), they are required to provide medical facilities on-site. Employers often rely on a Certified Public Accountant to oversee compliance and financial obligations, ensuring correct payment of overtime and holiday bonuses. Many manufacturers also use modern accounting software to manage payroll, track employee benefits, and maintain accurate financial records, while some even establish health clinics on their premises to support workers’ well-being.
Workers’ Profit Participation Fund (WPPF):
Workers get an equal share which totals to 5% of the annual net profit of the employer. This is distributed
annually.
Many organizations give non-statutory benefits to retain employees, even though they don’t have to. Some of these are:
• Health Insurance: This is group medical coverage for employees and sometimes their dependents.
• Performance Bonuses: These are based on the performance of an individual or the whole entity. This is generally not provided if the company has setup Workers’ Profit Participation Fund
• Meal and Transportation Allowances: These are common in banks and companies.
• Retirement Pension Plans: Generally provided by government entities.
• Flexible Work Hours: These are common especially in the IT and business industries.
• Professional Development and Training: Programs to improve skills.
• Housing or Accommodation Allowance: This is sometimes given in remote industrial areas.
For example: a lot of international banks in Dhaka offer not only the required festival bonuses, but also private health insurance, lunch allowance, and staff loans with lower interest rates.