Salary Expectations in Bangladesh Tech - Front End and Backend Software Engineer
You've got a job interview tomorrow. They'll ask about salary expectations in Bangladesh for software engineers. What number do you say?
Freshers start at BDT 20-25K. Juniors make 30-45K. Mid-level hits 50-70K. Seniors? 80-200K depending on the company.
But you need specifics for your situation. Frontend or backend? 2 years experience or 5? Local company or remote?
Here are the actual numbers from the market right now. What you should ask for. What's too low. What's realistic at your level.
Let's talk money.
How Much Do Software Engineer Earn in Bangladesh
Software engineers earn anywhere between BDT 20,000-3,00,000/month in Bangladesh. Salary range highly depends on experience and skills an engineer would have.
Starting Out: Your First Developer Job
Freshers (0-1 year): BDT 20,000-25,000/month
This is what you're looking at for your first job. Frontend, backend—doesn't matter much at this level when it comes to salary expectations in Bangladesh for software engineers just starting out.
Some companies will try to lowball you at 15-18K. Walk away unless you're desperate.
The difference between 20K and 25K? Your portfolio. Not your CGPA. Not your university name. What you've actually built.
Here's what moves you up:
You have real projects on GitHub, not just tutorial clones
You can explain your code without Googling every answer
Your English doesn't sound like Google Translate
Reality check from the data: PayScale shows some positions starting at just BDT 20,833/year. But companies hiring React or Node.js devs pay 25-30K for freshers who actually know their stuff.
Employment type matters here too. Full-time positions usually start at 20-25K. Internships? 10-15K. Contract work for freshers is rare, but when it exists, can pay 25-30K if you're good.
Growing Your Paycheck: 1-5 Years
Junior Level (1-3 years): BDT 30,000-45,000/month
If you're still making 25K after a year, you're being underpaid. Most junior developer positions in the developer community start at 30K minimum.
At this level, backend tends to pay slightly more. Think 35-45K range. This is where salary expectations in Bangladesh for backend engineers start pulling ahead slightly.
What gets you to 45K instead of 30K:
Modern frameworks. React/Next.js for frontend. Node.js/Python/Go for backend
You understand APIs and databases, not just copy-paste from Stack Overflow
You can take a feature from start to finish without someone holding your hand
The numbers: Glassdoor data shows BDT 20,833-47,000/year is typical for this bracket. If you're below 30K after 2 years, start interviewing. Seriously.
When it comes to salary expectations in Bangladesh for frontend engineers at the junior level, expect 30-40K. Backend? 35-45K. The difference isn't huge, but it's there.
Mid-Level (3-5 years): BDT 50,000-70,000/month
You're experienced now. You lead features, maybe mentor juniors. Research shows BDT 192,600-282,500/year for this bracket. Company size starts mattering more here.
Expect:
50-60K at 3 years in most companies
70K+ at 5 years, or you should be job hunting
Startups might pay less but dangle equity (usually not worth much, be honest)
The salary gap widens here. Salary expectations in Bangladesh for backend engineers with 3-5 years hit 55-70K, while frontend sits at 50-65K. Backend's system design and scalability knowledge commands a premium.
Senior Territory: 5+ Years
Senior Developers: BDT 80,000-200,000/month
The range is wild here. Depends entirely on where you work and your employment type.
Local software house? 80-100K
Product company? 100-150K
MNC or remote international? 150-200K+
The data backs this up: Senior devs with 10+ years hit BDT 437,900/year locally. Remote international work? $3,000-5,000/month (BDT 330,000-550,000).
You're probably:
Leading teams or entire projects
Making architecture decisions
Mentoring multiple developers
Considering CTO/Lead Engineer roles
Here's the thing: At this level, salary expectations in Bangladesh for software engineers depend more on negotiation skills than technical skills. A senior backend engineer who can sell themselves will out-earn a better coder who can't negotiate.
Other Developer Roles That Pay
Full Stack: BDT 25,000-150,000/month
Companies love full stack devs. You can do everything. Reality? They often expect 2x the work for 1.3x the pay. Still worth it if you genuinely enjoy both frontend and backend.
DevOps Engineers: BDT 40,000-180,000/month
High demand, fewer people competing. Learn Docker, Kubernetes, AWS. You'll thank yourself. Less crowded field than frontend/backend, and the developer community desperately needs good DevOps people.
Mobile Developers: BDT 30,000-120,000/month
React Native/Flutter are hot right now. Native iOS/Android pays slightly more. Not many mobile devs around compared to web, so decent opportunity.
UI/UX Engineers: BDT 25,000-100,000/month
Can you design AND code? You're rare. Figma + React is a powerful combo. Companies struggle to find good design-dev hybrids. Salary expectations in Bangladesh for frontend engineers with design skills run 20-30% higher than pure coders.
QA Engineers
Manual testing: BDT 20,000-50,000/month. Automation: BDT 35,000-80,000/month. Move from manual to automation fast. Learn Selenium, Cypress.
What Actually Changes Your Salary
Company type and employment type matter most
Startups: Pay maybe 70% of market. Promise equity that's probably worthless. Employment type here is often "full-time" but with startup hours (meaning way more than 40/week).
Local software houses: Standard market rates. This is your baseline for salary expectations in Bangladesh for software engineers.
Product companies: 20-30% above market. Better work-life balance too.
MNCs: 30-50% above market, better benefits. If you're in junior developer positions at an MNC, you might earn more than mid-level devs at local companies.
Remote international: 2-4x local market, but harder to get. Employment type is usually contract or full-time remote.
Your skills, not your years
A 3-year dev who understands system design beats a 5-year dev who just writes features. English communication adds 20-30% to your salary, especially for remote work within the developer community.
Open source work and side projects give you negotiation power. Years matter, but what you can do matters more.
When discussing salary expectations in Bangladesh for backend engineers versus frontend, backend's edge comes from system complexity, not years of service.
Location (but less than before)
Dhaka: Standard rates. Other cities: 10-20% lower typically. Remote work means location matters less now.
Pro tip: Companies in Dhaka hiring remote workers from other cities still pay Dhaka rates. Use this.
The Remote Work Multiplier
Local market: BDT 20K-200K/month. International remote: $1,000-5,000+/month. That's 5-10x for the same work.
But you need:
Strong English. Not "I can read documentation" English. "I can explain technical decisions to non-technical people" English
Self-management. No one's watching you work
Time zone flexibility. Some overlap with US/Europe hours
Portfolio that proves you deliver, not just code
Where to start: Upwork first, build reputation even if rates are lower. Then Arc.dev, WeWorkRemotely, Remote.co. Your first international client is the hardest. After that, it's easier.
Reality check: Most developers trying for international remote fail. Not because they can't code. Because they can't communicate or manage themselves.
The employment type shifts here too—most international work is contract-based initially, then moves to full-time remote if you prove yourself.
How to Actually Increase Your Salary
If you're starting out:
Build real projects. Not tutorial clones. Put them on GitHub with good READMEs. Contribute to open source, even just documentation. Don't accept below 20K unless you really need the job.
Junior developer positions are competitive. Stand out with real work, not certificates.
If you're 1-3 years in:
Switch jobs every 2-3 years. It's the fastest salary growth. Learn what's actually in demand. Check job postings, see what pays more.
Network. Join the developer community, attend meetups. Interview even when you're not job hunting. Know your market value for salary expectations in Bangladesh for frontend or backend engineers at your level.
If you're senior:
Remote opportunities should be on your radar. Build your personal brand. Write, share what you know. When switching jobs, ask for 30-40% more. Companies expect negotiation.
Consider contracting as an employment type. Often pays more than full-time.
Universal truth: Companies pay you the minimum you'll accept, not what you're worth. Know your worth.
To Sum Up
Salary expectations in Bangladesh for frontend engineers run slightly lower than backend at mid-to-senior levels, but the gap narrows with the right skills. Both paths can lead to 6-figure monthly salaries with experience.
Keep learning, keep building, keep interviewing. The market rewards people who actively manage their careers, not people who wait for promotions.
FAQs
How much do front end developers make in Bangladesh?
Front end devs salary range in Bangladesh is BDT 20-25K for freshers, 30-40K for juniors, 50-65K for mid-level, and 80-150K+ for seniors. Skills in React and Next.js push you to the higher end.
What is the salary of backend developer in Bangladesh?
Backend developers in Bangladesh earn between BDT 20-25K starting out, 35-45K at junior level, 55-70K mid-level, and 80-200K+ for seniors. Backend typically pays 5-10K more than frontend after 3 years.
How much do developers make in Bangladesh?
Software developers in Bangladesh earn depending on their skills and experience. Freshers: 20-25K/month. Juniors (1-3 years): 30-45K. Mid-level (3-5 years): 50-70K. Seniors (5+ years): 80-200K+. Remote international work pays 5-10x more.
Do backend developers earn more than front end?
Backend developers earn more than front end at junior level. After 3+ years, backend pulls ahead by 5-10K/month because of system design and scalability knowledge.