Dhaka, May 28 -- The persistent gap between wage growth and inflation in Bangladesh is a pressing concern that demands immediate attention. In its Tuesday issue, this newspaper reported that for 39 consecutive months, the working class has faced a harsh reality: nominal wage increases have consistently lagged behind the rising cost of living, eroding real incomes and diminishing consumer purchasing power. The latest data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) paints a stark picture, with inflation reaching a 12-year high of 11.66 per cent in July 2024, while wage growth stagnated at a mere 7.93 per cent. This 3.73 percentage point gap is not just a statistic; it represents the daily struggles of millions of Bangladeshis.
The situat...