The government has set the minimum monthly wage for workers in the hotel and restaurant sector at Tk 13,050, with a 5 per cent annual increment.

In a gazette notification issued on 5 May, the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) formally categorised hotels and restaurants based on their number of rooms and seating capacity.

Hotels have been divided into five categories, ranging from one-star (minimum 10 rooms) to five-star (minimum 100 rooms).

Restaurants have been placed into four categories, though specific seating benchmarks were not disclosed in the initial announcement.

The new wage structure is intended to standardise pay across the hospitality sector and ensure fair compensation for workers and employees in the industry.

Restaurants with a maximum of 100 seats have been categorised as Grade D, followed by Grade C for those with 101 to 200 seats, Grade B for 201 to 300 seats, and Grade A for those with more than 300 seats.

Workers and employees in Grade Three at one-star hotels and Grade Four at D-category restaurants will receive a minimum monthly wage of Tk 13,050, comprising a basic salary of Tk 7,500 and house rent equal to 50 per cent of the basic, i.e., Tk 3,750.

According to the gazette, Grade Three workers at two-, three-, four-, and five-star hotels will receive minimum monthly wages of Tk 13,650, Tk 14,700, Tk 15,750, and Tk 16,800 respectively.

Minimum monthly wages for Grade Four workers at C-, B-, and A-category restaurants have been fixed at Tk 13,650, Tk 14,700, and Tk 15,750 respectively.

Medical and transport allowances have been set at Tk 1,000 and Tk 800 respectively for all categories and grades of workers in the hotel and restaurant sector.

An apprentice worker will receive gross wages of Tk 9,300 during a six-month apprenticeship period, according to the gazette.