Doctors, nurses in Bangladesh earn the lowest salaries in South Asia

Bangladesh ranks the lowest in South Asia in terms of average salaries for doctors and nurses, far behind neighboring India and Nepal, and nearly 30 times lower compared to developed nations. Experts warn that such disparities are a major obstacle to improving the country’s healthcare system.

The findings were revealed on Tuesday at a discussion titled “Salary Policy for Public and Private Healthcare Workers: Current Realities, Challenges, and Recommendations”, held at the CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka. The event was organized by Alliance for Health Reforms, Bangladesh.

Professor Dr. Syed Abdul Hamid of Dhaka University’s Institute of Health Economics chaired the session, while the keynote was presented by Professor Dr. Syed Akram Hossain, Chairman of the Clinical Oncology Department at Bangladesh Medical University and a member of the Health Sector Reform Commission.

According to Dr. Hossain, doctors in Bangladesh earn an average of just Tk 300,000 annually. In comparison, the average income for doctors in India is Tk 1.6 million, Tk 9.8 million in the United Kingdom, and Tk 1.1 million in Singapore. Nurses in Bangladesh also face similar disparities, earning around Tk 198,000 annually, while their counterparts in India make nearly Tk 600,000 and even higher salaries in Nepal.

“Such wage gaps not only dampen professional motivation but also directly affect the quality of healthcare,” Dr. Hossain said. “As a result, many skilled doctors are compelled to seek opportunities abroad.”

He stressed that raising salaries would help retain medical professionals, improve healthcare quality, and reduce the ongoing brain drain. He also mentioned that the government is preparing measures to address the issue.

Speakers at the event called for a separate pay commission and an independent salary policy for healthcare professionals. They recommended revising the pay structure every three years to ensure fairness and sustainability.

Professor A.K. Azad Khan, President of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh and head of the Health Sector Reform Commission, said proper human resource management is crucial for meaningful healthcare development. “The current pay structure is weakening the foundation of the health system. Discrepancies between public and private sector salaries are undermining both professional motivation and the overall quality of care,” he noted.

Other speakers included Pay Commission member Professor Syed Atikul Haque, Labor Health Reform Commission chief Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, Public Administration Reform Commission member Professor Dr. Shahina Sobhan Mitu, DAB Secretary General Dr. Md. Zahirul Islam Shakil, and NDF Secretary Professor Dr. Mahmud Hossain.