Dhaka Workers See Real Wage Gains as Inflation Cools

Bangla Press Desk:  Wage growth in Dhaka Division outpaced urban inflation in July, offering a positive signal for the purchasing power of low-paid workers as Bangladesh's broader inflation rate also eased during the month, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).

The general wage rate index in Dhaka Division rose 8.72 percent on a point-to-point basis in July 2026, compared with an Urban General inflation rate of 8.24 percent. The national general wage growth was lower at 8.22 percent during the same period.The 0.48 percentage-point gap between Dhaka's wage growth and its Urban General inflation rate marked a stronger wage performance in the capital division.

The BBS data indicate that wages of low-paid workers covered by the index increased faster than the general rise in urban consumer prices during the period.

The service sector led wage growth in Dhaka, with its wage rate rising 9.30 percent in July, the highest among the three sectors. Industry followed at 8.63 percent, while agriculture recorded 8.62 percent growth.

The sectoral performance in Dhaka was also stronger than the corresponding national figures in all three sectors. Nationwide, wage growth stood at 8.39 percent in services, 8.15 percent in industry and 8.24 percent in agriculture.

At the national level, however, the 8.22 percent general wage growth remained slightly below the country's 8.32 percent general inflation rate in July. This makes the Dhaka wage performance distinct from the national picture, where wage growth did not exceed overall inflation.

Bangladesh's general point-to-point inflation fell to 8.32 percent in July from 9.16 percent in June. The 12-month moving average inflation also declined to 8.66 percent during August 2025 to July 2026, from 9.77 percent in the previous 12-month period.Alongside the latest wage and inflation figures, the BBS has shifted both the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Wage Rate Index (WRI) to a new base year of 2021-22.

The revised WRI is based on monthly wages for 63 specific occupations across all 64 districts. The occupations cover 17 categories in agriculture, 30 in industry and 16 in the service sector.

The BBS has also initiated compilation of the Mymensingh Divisional Index, according to the latest report.

The WRI is designed to measure movements in nominal wages of low-paid skilled and unskilled labour over time. It is also used to measure changes in real wages and standards of living.

The latest changes in the index are accompanied by a broader monthly release covering the Consumer Price Index, inflation rate and Wage Rate Index.