A quiet digital transformation is reshaping the way tea estate workers in northern Bangladesh receive and manage their earnings.
Several hundred workers at Kazi & Kazi Tea Estate in Panchagarh are now receiving their wages through bKash's digital payroll solution, reducing their dependence on cash and expanding access to formal financial services.
While the development may appear modest, it reflects a broader shift in Bangladesh's digital financial landscape. More than one million workers at over 1,000 factories across the country currently receive their salaries through bKash's payroll platform. The introduction of the service at a remote tea estate signals the growing reach of digital wage payments beyond traditional industrial centres.
For decades, tea garden workers relied entirely on cash payments, often facing long queues, payment delays and concerns over carrying money home safely. The digital payroll system has addressed many of these challenges by making salary disbursement faster, safer and more transparent.
The initiative, jointly implemented by bKash and the tea estate authorities, allows workers to receive wages directly into their bKash accounts. They can then withdraw cash when necessary or use their funds for mobile recharges, bill payments, money transfers and savings.
"When the digital payroll system was first introduced, I was hesitant to receive my wages through a mobile financial services account. But after four months, I realised its benefits and decided to use bKash. Now I receive my salary on time and can spend it however I choose," said Halima Akhter, a worker at the estate.
Another worker, Banu Begum, highlighted the increased financial flexibility the service has provided.
"The digital system has made it easier to send money to my daughter who lives in another district. I can also save some money regularly, which was difficult before," she said.
For Mazedul Islam, the transition has brought both convenience and security.
"It removes the risk of carrying cash. I can withdraw exactly what I need, whenever I need it. I also use bKash for mobile recharges, sending money to family members and paying my Palli Bidyut bills," he said.
Munshi Md Al Imran Hossain, Accounts and Finance Manager at Kazi & Kazi Tea Estate, said the digital payroll system has significantly improved operational efficiency.
"With nine divisions spread across a large area, managing salary payments manually was always challenging. The estate is located far from the town, and we previously had to transport large amounts of cash from Panchagarh. Handling and carrying cash was both time-consuming and risky. Now salary payments can be managed centrally and far more conveniently," he said.
Bangladesh's ready-made garment sector has been at the forefront of payroll digitisation, with around one million workers across more than 1,000 factories receiving wages through bKash since 2015. Beyond salary disbursement, bKash has developed a wider digital payment ecosystem for workers, including vending machines, fair-price shops and nearby agent points to encourage everyday digital transactions.
The expansion of digital payroll services from industrial hubs to rural tea estates underscores the growing role of technology in enhancing financial security, convenience and inclusion for workers across Bangladesh.