Poisha

Poisha (Bangla: পয়সা) is the subunit of the Bangladeshi taka, the currency of Bangladesh. One taka is equal to 100 poisha. The poisha unit was established with the decimalization and modernization of the currency after independence, serving as the smallest unit of account for the taka.

In everyday use, poisha coins are rarely seen. Inflation and price rounding have diminished their practical utility, and most prices are quoted and paid in taka, with poisha values often omitted or rounded to the nearest taka. While poisha is still considered legal tender, higher-denomination currency and electronic payments are the norm in daily transactions.

Historically, poisha coins were issued in small denominations and circulated alongside taka banknotes. Over time, the need for small-change coins declined, and their presence in circulation became infrequent. The term poisha continues to appear in Bengali language and accounting to denote the fractional part of a price, akin to “cents” in other currencies, even when minimal or no physical poisha coins are used.

Etymology: The word poisha is the Bengali form of a unit related to paisa, with roots in Persian/Arabic currency terminology that spread across South Asia.