Addressing unemployment problem

The number of unemployed people is increasing in Bangladesh. It is disheartening to see that even educated individuals are struggling to find jobs in a country where the inflation crisis is fluctuating day by day. The number of unemployed people in the country reportedly rose to 2.59 million in the first quarter (January-March) of 2023, up from 2.32 million in the last quarter of 2022, according to the quarterly data from the Labour Force Survey released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Many factors are responsible for this situation. First, a lack of employment opportunities is making the problem acuter as the graduates are now unable to find jobs. Secondly, our educational institutions are not providing students with pro-career education. Thirdly, vocational training is inadequate. Our youths do not have enough skills in terms of getting familiar with the latest technology, which is the reason they cannot meet the rising demand for skilled people in the job market. Last but not least, our younger generation is not yet ready to become entrepreneurs. If they are not encouraged to be entrepreneurs, newer jobs will not be generated. In fact, a lack of financial support prevents them from becoming promising entrepreneurs.

The issue of unemployment is not a new one in the country. For the past three to four years, thousands of our people have become jobless. The situation is particularly dangerous because joblessness can lead to frustration, drug addiction, theft, violence and street crimes. Such behaviour has severe consequences, not only for the individuals but also for the country. Jobless individuals can also commit suicide when they are unable to cope with their situation. We know that the solution cannot be found overnight, but the combined efforts of everyone can pave the way for creating employment, which is a prerequisite for our economic development, too.

Badsha Faysal,

Jurain, Dhaka,

badshafaysal1998@gmail.com