The gender pay gap in Bangladesh: Trends, causes and policy options

Gender pay gaps remain a persistent challenge to gender equality and decent work. In Bangladesh, women continue to experience significant disparities in earnings and access to better-paid employment. Understanding the scale and drivers of these disparities is essential to inform effective policy responses and advance equal remuneration for work of equal value.

This “Gender pay gap in Bangladesh: Trends, causes and policy options” study, commissioned by ILO, provides a comprehensive analysis of the gender pay gap in Bangladesh, drawing on quantitative evidence from the Labour Force Survey and qualitative inputs from relevant stakeholders and policy analysis. It examines pay gaps across sectors, occupations and different groups of workers, including the explained and unexplained components of the gap. It also reviews the legal and policy framework on gender equality and equal remuneration, alongside relevant international experience.

The study finds that women’s monthly earnings are around 22–25 per cent lower than men’s, with gaps observed across almost all sectors and occupations. The findings also point to structural factors, including women’s concentration in lower-paid work and unequal care responsibilities, that contribute to persistent pay inequalities.

The research was supported by a Research Advisory Group (RAG) comprising representatives of government, workers’ and employers’ organizations and other stakeholders. Consultations and tripartite validation helped ensure that the findings and recommendations reflected the perspectives of Bangladesh’s social partners.

The study highlights the need for a coordinated policy response, including stronger implementation of equal remuneration for work of equal value, improved wage-setting and compliance mechanisms, measures to address care responsibilities and barriers to women’s employment, and strengthened social dialogue.

The findings aim to contribute to Bangladesh’s efforts towards evidence-based, gender-responsive wage policy and a more inclusive labour market.