Creating opportunities for educated unemployment

Bangladesh has made remarkable strides in various sectors over the past decades. However, beneath this socio-economic progress, an alarming rise in the number of educated youth remains a major challenge, which may not only hamper economic growth but also undermine social stability.
Unemployment is often discussed in terms of the social and familial difficulties it creates for individuals. Young unemployed people frequently start their day facing criticism from family members and neighbours. It instills a sense of despair and frustration among youths, sometimes driving them to commit suicide or anti-social acts.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Quarterly Labour Force Survey (June 2024), 2.64 million individuals in the labour force were unemployed. This alarming figure shows how the nation's development suffers.
For most students in Bangladesh, securing a job is the ultimate goal. Yet only a select few succeed. Are graduates or postgraduates to blame? The answer lies in the structural limitations of the state, where job openings are far fewer than the number of job seekers. Consequently, many qualified individuals remain unemployed.
Several factors contribute to this issue, with societal attitudes being a major obstacle. Social stigma often discourages educated but unemployed individuals from pursuing entrepreneurial ventures. This mindset hinders many from becoming small-scale entrepreneurs, thereby worsening the unemployment crisis. In contrast, graduates in developed nations often take up jobs such as selling vegetables or fruits without hesitation. Other contributing factors include insufficient industrialisation, inadequate job creation, the misalignment between the education system and job market, and the lack of vocational education.
Tackling unemployment requires collaborative efforts from both the government and the private sector. Environmentally sustainable and skill-based industrialisation is imperative. As an agrarian country, Bangladesh should incentivise its youth to participate in agriculture. Providing soft loans and subsidies can encourage young people to embrace entrepreneurship.
Additionally, the country's education system must be redesigned. While many graduates possess theoretical knowledge, they often lack the practical skills needed in the modern job market. Poor English communication skills among graduates are no help. Making education more employment-oriented and aligned with contemporary needs can significantly enhance job-seekers' competence.

Humayun Ahamed Naim
Student, Department of Sociology
Jagannath University, Dhaka
[email protected]