Jobless up in 1st quarter

Unemployment in Bangladesh increased slightly in the first quarter (Q1) of 2023, due mainly to a fall in agricultural employment, the government's Labour Force Survey (LFS) data showed on Tuesday.
The number of unemployed people increased by 0.27 million to 2.59 million during January-March period of the current calendar year from that of the previous quarter (Oct-Dec of 2022), as per the first quarterly LFS of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
The country's unemployment rate rose to 3.51 per cent in the Q1 of 2023 from that of 3.2 per cent in the previous quarter, the LFS showed.
However, the quarterly unemployment rate in Jan-Mar 2023 was lower than that of the same period last year and from the annual average rate of 2022.
According to the BBS, the unemployment rate was 4.0 per cent in Jan-Mar period of 2022, and the 12-month average unemployment rate was 3.6 per cent last year.
The BBS unveiled the country's first quarterly LFS (January-March 2023) data - breaking its tradition of giving annual LFS - in a press conference at the NEC conference room in the city on Tuesday.
State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam spoke as the chief guest on the occasion with BBS Director General Matiar Rahman in the chair. Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary Dr Shahnaz Arefin spoke as the special guest. LFS Project Director Aziza Rahman made a power-point presentation on the survey findings.
Clarifying the unemployment rate hike in the Q1 of 2023, the state minister for planning said the rate was a bit higher, as January-March was a lean period for agricultural labourers.
"After planting the Robi crops during November-December period, many agricultural labourers sit idle, which is reflected in the LFS in the 2023 Q1. The same trend was seen in the previous years also."
"However, we are aware of the issue. If we get 3-5 years' quarterly data, we can draw a conclusion on it. But not now," he added.
Dr Alam also said the BBS published the quarterly LFS findings for the first time, and it would also publish the GDP-related information quarterly.
He requested the BBS for providing district and divisional GDP data when it would unveil the quarterly economic output data.
The BBS used to conduct the Labour Force Survey in every 4-5 years. The last LFS was conducted in 2022, and the previous one in 2016-17.
During the survey, conducted between January and March 2023, the BBS took 30,816 households across the country as samples.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh's total labour force increased to 73.69 million in the Q1 of 2023. Of which, 48.25 million were male and 25.44 million were female, the LFS 2023 showed.
In the fourth quarter (October-December) of 2022, the country's total labour force was 72.89 million, of which 47.05 million were male and 25.84 million were female.
The total labour force means the number of people aged 15 years and above, who are engaged in work, alongside the total number of unemployed people.
The survey findings showed that as per the ILO guideline, the total number of people in the country, engaged in work, increased to 71.10 million in the Q1 of 2023. Of them, 46.54 million were male and 24.56 million were female.

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