The best HR and payroll software for a Bangladeshi company is one that captures attendance from the sources you really use (biometric devices, mobile and GPS), calculates overtime and leave the way the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 requires, and produces payslips and reports you can audit. Local products such as AccordHRM, PiHR and Smart HRM are built around Bangladeshi rules, global tools such as BambooHR are polished but may need local workarounds, and an all-in-one platform such as SigmaTurn suits companies that want HR, attendance, payroll and sales on one database.
This guide explains the Bangladeshi payroll rules any system must handle, compares the main options by need, and gives you a checklist and a 30-day rollout plan. Disclosure: GiveTurn builds SigmaTurn. We include it where it fits and say clearly where it does not. Vendor details are the vendors' own public claims, read in September 2026, so verify them in a trial with your own payroll data.
Key takeaways
1) Payroll errors usually start in attendance, so connect attendance to payroll directly. 2) Overtime is the costliest rule to get wrong. 3) Always run one full payroll in parallel before switching. 4) This is general information, not legal advice: confirm the current text of the Labour Act and your contracts with a qualified adviser.
What is HR and payroll software?
HR software (also called HRMS or HRIS) stores employee records and manages attendance, leave, shifts, recruitment and performance. Payroll software turns that data into salaries: it calculates gross pay, overtime, deductions, tax and net pay, and produces payslips. In a good system the two share one employee record, so an approved leave or an overtime hour flows into payroll without anyone retyping it.
Which Bangladeshi payroll rules must your software handle?
The Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 sets many of the rules that payroll depends on. The points below cover employees who are treated as workers under the Act; managerial and administrative staff are usually governed by their contracts and company policy. The Act has been amended since 2006 and reforms are discussed regularly, so check the current text.
| Rule | What it says (general information) | What your software should do |
|---|---|---|
| Working hours | Standard week of 48 hours, up to 8 hours a day | Roster shifts and flag hours above the limit |
| Overtime rate | Twice the ordinary rate of basic wage plus dearness allowance and any ad hoc or interim wage (Section 108) | Calculate overtime from logged hours using your configured rate |
| Overtime limits | Up to 10 hours a day and 60 hours a week, with an annual weekly average of 56 hours | Warn managers before limits are crossed |
| Annual leave | One day of paid leave for every 18 days worked in shops, commercial establishments and factories | Accrue balances automatically |
| Casual and sick leave | 10 days of casual leave and 14 days of paid sick leave a year | Track balances and approvals by leave type |
| Maternity leave | 16 weeks in total, 8 before and 8 after delivery, subject to eligibility | Handle long leave without breaking payroll |
| Gratuity and funds | Gratuity of 30 days' wages per year of service where applicable; provident fund and workers' profit participation fund apply in some sectors | Support the schemes your company runs |
| Festival bonus | Many employers pay two festival bonuses a year, often one month's basic salary each; check your sector rules and contracts | Add bonuses as configurable pay components |
| Income tax | Employers deduct tax at source from salaries and must hold employee TINs | Calculate tax deduction and produce tax reports |
Sources for these points include the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 (ILO copy) and payroll guides such as the Skuad Bangladesh payroll guide. Where sources differ or a rule changes, the current law and your legal adviser decide.
How is overtime calculated in Bangladesh?
For employees covered by Section 108 of the Labour Act, overtime is paid at twice the ordinary rate. In practice the hourly rate is commonly worked out as (basic wage + dearness allowance + any ad hoc or interim wage) divided by 208 monthly working hours, then multiplied by two for each overtime hour.
Worked example (illustrative numbers)
Suppose an employee's basic wage plus dearness allowance is Tk 20,800 a month. The ordinary hourly rate is 20,800 ÷ 208 = Tk 100. The overtime rate is 2 × 100 = Tk 200 an hour. For 12 overtime hours in a month, overtime pay is 12 × 200 = Tk 2,400. Your own figures and components may differ, so have your payroll adviser confirm the formula, then test the software against it.
Which attendance methods should HR software support?
- Biometric devices. Fingerprint and face-recognition devices are common in Bangladeshi offices and factories. Ask which device brands and models the software supports and how logs sync.
- Mobile and GPS check-in. Field staff, sales reps and site teams need to check in from a phone, ideally with geofencing so attendance is valid only at the right place.
- Multiple locations. Branches, factories and sites should roll up into one dashboard.
- Offline handling. Devices and phones lose connectivity, so check what happens to logs and whether you get an alert when a device goes offline.
- Direct link to payroll. Attendance should feed overtime and deductions without exports and copy-paste.
What types of HR and payroll software can Bangladeshi companies choose?
| Type | Examples | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local HR and payroll products | AccordHRM, PiHR, Smart HRM, SystechiHR, HRM360, PeopleDesk | Companies that want Bangladeshi rules and local support | Depth varies, so test your real payroll rules |
| Global HR platforms | BambooHR and similar tools | Polished self-service and people analytics | Local payroll rules and overtime may need workarounds |
| All-in-one business platform | SigmaTurn | Companies that want HR, attendance, payroll, CRM and finance together | Confirm Bangladesh-specific payroll rules in the trial |
| ERP with an HR module | PinTech ERP and other ERP suites | Firms already buying an ERP | HR module depth can be lighter than a dedicated HR product |
What are the best HR and payroll software options in Bangladesh in 2026?
AccordHRM: cloud HR and payroll built around Bangladeshi rules
AccordHRM describes itself as a cloud-based HR and payroll platform. Its site lists real-time attendance with GPS and biometric sync, geo-tagged punch-ins, shift planning, overtime calculation, salary configuration, tax management, automated statutory filings and challan generation, and web and mobile employee self-service. It states that it serves more than 65 companies across industries such as technology, manufacturing and logistics, and says it stays compliant with Bangladesh tax laws. The page we read did not mention a Bangla interface. Best for: companies that want compliance automation. Check: run your own payroll through it and ask for references.
PiHR: mobile-first HR for startups and SMEs
PiHR appears in Bangladeshi HR software roundups as a cloud-based tool aimed at startups and SMEs, with attendance, leave and payroll automation and a mobile-first design. Best for: smaller teams that want a lightweight, mobile-friendly system. Check: payroll rule coverage and biometric integration.
Smart HRM: HR software for medium and large businesses
Smart Software Ltd markets Smart HRM as an HR and payroll system for large and medium businesses. Best for: mid-sized and larger organisations. Check: implementation time, customisation cost and support terms.
SystechiHR and HRM360: local options with attendance, leave and payroll
SystechiHR is described as covering attendance, leave, payroll and employee records for mid-sized and large organisations, while HRM360 is described as a simple, modular platform that adds recruitment and payroll with local support. Best for: teams that prefer a local vendor. Check: demos on your data and current references.
PeopleDesk: HR software in Bangladeshi roundups
PeopleDesk is one of the products reviewed in Bangladeshi HR software comparisons. Details on its public pages vary, so request a demo and a written feature list against your checklist. Best for: teams building a shortlist. Check: Bangladesh payroll compliance and Bangla support.
BambooHR: best global option for polished self-service
BambooHR is known for a friendly interface, onboarding workflows and people analytics. Best for: companies that value user experience and can handle Bangladeshi payroll separately. Check: local payroll and overtime support, billing currency and support hours.
SigmaTurn: HR, payroll and attendance on one database
SigmaTurn is GiveTurn's business operating system. Its HR module covers employee records, leave requests that flow through approval and sync to the roster and payroll, shift rosters, holidays, designations, departments and an employee mobile view. Payroll runs from attendance and rosters, calculates overtime from actual logged hours with configurable rates per role or location, shows total payroll cost before approval, supports multiple pay structures in a single run, and produces audit-ready reports with gross pay, deductions, tax and net pay plus employee payslip history. Biometric Attendance supports fingerprint and face-recognition devices, maps them to employee records, monitors multiple locations and alerts you when a device is offline, and its Location Intelligence module adds GPS workforce tracking for field teams. Recruit, Performance (OKRs and reviews), Policy Center and Letters sit alongside. Best for: companies that want HR, payroll, attendance, CRM and finance in one system. Check: SigmaTurn's public pages do not currently claim Bangladesh Labour Act rule sets, festival bonus handling, provident fund or tax challan automation, or a Bangla interface, so test those with your real data in the free trial.
HR and payroll software comparison: which is best for what?
| Option | Best for | Attendance sources stated | Bangladesh compliance stated | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AccordHRM | Compliance automation | GPS and biometric sync | Yes, per vendor | Bangla UI not stated; verify |
| PiHR | Startups and SMEs | Mobile-first | Verify | Confirm payroll rules |
| Smart HRM | Medium and large firms | Verify | Verify | Implementation effort |
| SystechiHR / HRM360 | Local vendor preference | Verify | Verify | Check depth and references |
| BambooHR | Global-style self-service | Not a focus | Not a focus | Local payroll workarounds |
| SigmaTurn | HR, payroll, attendance and CRM together | Biometric devices, GPS, geofencing | Not claimed on public pages | Test Bangladesh payroll rules in trial |
A 10-point checklist for choosing HR and payroll software in Bangladesh
- 1. Attendance sources. Supports your biometric devices and mobile or GPS check-in, with offline handling.
- 2. Overtime. Calculates the rate you configure, applies limits and reads hours directly from attendance.
- 3. Leave. Handles annual, casual, sick, maternity and other leave with approvals and balances.
- 4. Salary structure. Supports basic, allowances, deductions, bonuses (including festival bonuses) and multiple pay structures.
- 5. Tax and statutory items. Handles tax deduction at source, provident fund, gratuity and any sector-specific funds you use.
- 6. Payslips and reports. Clear payslips and audit-ready payroll reports you can export for accounting.
- 7. Bangla and self-service. Employees can check leave, attendance and payslips from a phone, in the language they prefer.
- 8. Security and privacy. Role-based access to salary data, encryption, backups and an audit trail.
- 9. Integration with accounting. Payroll totals should reach your books without retyping.
- 10. Support and total cost. Support hours in Bangladesh time, training, and a written three-year cost.
How much does HR and payroll software cost?
Most Bangladeshi vendors do not publish their prices, and pricing models differ: per employee per month, a one-time licence plus annual maintenance, or module-based plans. Compare them on a three-year total that includes set-up, biometric device integration, training, customisation, support and extra employees. Also ask how you can pay if the price is in US dollars. To find out what SigmaTurn would cost for your headcount and modules, start the free trial or contact the team on the SigmaTurn website.
How do you switch to new HR and payroll software in 30 days?
- Week 1: people and attendance. Import employee records from Excel, set departments, designations, shifts and holidays, and connect attendance devices or the mobile app. Run alongside your current process.
- Week 2: leave and rules. Configure leave types, overtime rates and limits, allowances, deductions and bonuses.
- Week 3: payroll in parallel. Run one full payroll in the new system and in your old spreadsheet. Investigate every difference, especially overtime and leave deductions.
- Week 4: go live. Switch only when the totals match. Train managers on approvals and employees on self-service, and archive the old sheets.
What mistakes should you avoid with HR and payroll software?
- Skipping the parallel payroll run. It is the single most valuable test.
- Trusting a compliance claim without testing it. Give the vendor your real payroll sheet and compare results line by line.
- Ignoring device compatibility. Confirm your exact biometric model before you buy.
- Tracking staff without telling them. Explain what location and attendance data you collect and why.
- Leaving salary data open. Restrict who can see payroll and log every change.
Should HR and payroll live inside a business operating system?
A dedicated HR product is usually best when HR is your only problem. A business operating system is usually better when HR data needs to reach other areas: attendance to payroll, payroll to accounting, projects to billing. For the wider picture, read our guide to the best business operating system in Bangladesh, and see how sales data fits in our CRM software guide and ERP software guide.
Frequently asked questions about HR and payroll software in Bangladesh
What is the best HR and payroll software in Bangladesh?
It depends on your size and needs. AccordHRM, PiHR, Smart HRM, SystechiHR and HRM360 are local options, BambooHR is a global option, and SigmaTurn suits companies that want HR, payroll, attendance and CRM on one platform. Shortlist by the checklist in this guide and test each with your own payroll data.
How is overtime calculated in Bangladesh?
Under Section 108 of the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006, overtime is paid at twice the ordinary rate of basic wage plus dearness allowance and any ad hoc or interim wage. The hourly rate is commonly (basic + dearness allowance) divided by 208, multiplied by two per overtime hour. Confirm details with a payroll adviser.
What is the maximum overtime allowed in Bangladesh?
Under the Labour Act, total working hours including overtime are generally limited to 10 hours a day and 60 hours a week, with an average of 56 hours a week over a year. Good HR software should warn managers before these limits are crossed.
How much annual, casual and sick leave do employees get in Bangladesh?
For workers covered by the Labour Act, annual leave accrues at one day per 18 days worked in shops, commercial establishments and factories, with 10 days of casual leave and 14 days of paid sick leave a year. Maternity leave is 16 weeks, subject to eligibility. Contracts and company policy may add more.
Can HR software connect to fingerprint and face-recognition attendance devices?
Many can. SigmaTurn's Biometric Attendance module supports fingerprint and face-recognition devices, maps them to employee records and syncs to payroll. It does not publicly list device brands, so confirm your model. AccordHRM lists GPS and biometric sync. Always test your own device before buying.
Can I track field employees with GPS attendance?
Yes, with the right software. Look for mobile check-in with geofencing and route or location history. SigmaTurn includes geofenced attendance and GPS workforce tracking through its Location Intelligence module, and employees can see exactly what location data their employer can view.
Does SigmaTurn handle Bangladesh Labour Act rules and festival bonuses?
SigmaTurn's public pages describe configurable overtime, leave, payroll and reports, but do not claim built-in Bangladesh Labour Act rule sets, festival bonus handling or provident fund automation. Test these with your real payroll data during the free trial before you commit.
How do I find out what SigmaTurn would cost for my business?
The cost depends on your team size and the modules you need. The best way to find out is to start the free trial or contact the team through the official SigmaTurn website.
How long does it take to switch payroll software?
Plan about a month. Import employee data in week one, configure rules in week two, run payroll in parallel with your old process in week three, and go live in week four only when the totals match. Never switch without a parallel run.
Can I try SigmaTurn before paying?
Yes. SigmaTurn offers a 7-day free trial with full access and no credit card required. You can start it on the official SigmaTurn website.
The verdict: which HR and payroll software should you choose?
If compliance automation is your top priority, shortlist local products such as AccordHRM and verify their claims with your data. If you need a lightweight mobile-first tool, look at PiHR. If you want polished self-service and can handle local payroll separately, consider a global product. If you want HR, attendance, payroll and sales in one system, try SigmaTurn and check the Bangladesh-specific rules in the trial.
Whatever you choose, connect attendance directly to payroll, run one full parallel payroll, and get the three-year cost in writing.
Sources and further reading
- Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 (ILO), including Section 108 on overtime. The Act has been amended since 2006, so check the current text.
- Skuad: Leave policy in Bangladesh and Bangladesh payroll guide
- AccordHRM (feature and compliance claims are the vendor's own)
- iBOS: Best HR software in Bangladesh, on vendor pricing transparency
- SigmaTurn official website: HR, Payroll, Biometric Attendance and Location Intelligence modules (read September 2026)
- Photos via Unsplash (free Unsplash License): Vitaly Gariev and ThisisEngineering. Downloaded, cropped and compressed to WebP.
Written by the GiveTurn Team
Notes from the engineers, marketers, and product builders behind 1,200+ projects for 500+ clients.
