Lure of govt jobs, ego pushing up unemployment among graduates | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Tuesday
June 10, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2025
Lure of govt jobs, ego pushing up unemployment among graduates

Analysis

Fahim Mashroor
05 March, 2021, 10:50 pm
Last modified: 05 March, 2021, 11:53 pm

Related News

  • Unemployment rate hits historic high, rises to 4.63% as 27.4 lakh now jobless
  • Govt set to introduce waiting list for grades 10-12 job recruitment
  • Educated but unemployed; joblessness soars among graduates in Bangladesh 
  • Bangladesh's job crisis deepens as private sector stalls
  • How can Bangladesh integrate the remaining half into its labour force?

Lure of govt jobs, ego pushing up unemployment among graduates

Fahim Mashroor
05 March, 2021, 10:50 pm
Last modified: 05 March, 2021, 11:53 pm
Fahim Mashroor, CEO of bdjobs.com. TBS Sketch
Fahim Mashroor, CEO of bdjobs.com. TBS Sketch

Several lakhs of graduates every year are joining the employment race against around 3,000 posts of the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS). Their efforts to manage a public job takes many years. Besides, educated youths are unwilling to go for odd jobs, or work which do not match with the typical employment.

The obsession for public jobs and ego issues are contributing to the growing unemployment rate among graduates.

On the other hand, fewer educated people are joining odd jobs. After becoming successful in their ventures, many of them turn out to be employers. Therefore, jobs for the less educated have edged up in the last couple of years.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

The outlook of our economy has been brighter for the past decade, mostly riding on agriculture and manufacturing sectors with blue-collar jobs. Though a few heavy industries were established during the time, they highly depend on blue-collar jobs, not the white ones.

The mega-project spree generated jobs for the less educated working class, while the country outsourced technicians and engineers from foreign countries.

Though the growth in blue-collar jobs has been consistent over the last couple of years, it got affected during the pandemic. Small and medium industries, especially the formal sectors, terminated a large number of their workers to survive the pandemic fallout.

Recently there are recruitment advertisements for those vacant posts. Apart from the old workers, new jobseekers are applying for those positions. As employers prefer skilled and experienced applicants, newcomers to the job market fall into difficulty.

But educated youths are in the worst situation as white-collar jobs had already been declining over the last 10 years – even before the pandemic. The last three years show a steady decline, while jobs for educated people clocked negative growth in several years during the last decade.

Numerous sectors, including telecom, once hired many employees. As the entities have matured, they have reduced recruitment. Rather, they adopt office downsizing policies for cost minimisation.

The number of fresh graduates has doubled in 10 years owing to more private universities, a rise in income and perception about social status. And since jobs did not grow at that rate, unemployment among graduates is increasing.

A survey shows that around 40-50% of the educated youths are unemployed, and the rate is higher than any other country in the world.

There is nothing more disappointing than half of the graduates not getting jobs after completing their academic career.

If half the people in a country do not get jobs after completing study, there can be no greater tragedy.

One of the reasons may be the country's immature institutions which led to fewer white-collar jobs. The informal sector employs more than 85% of the labour market.

But even more problematic is the ego of the educated people. All they want is a white-collar job after graduation while such jobs are fewer.

The mind-set of students went through a massive change in the last couple of years. None of them wants a private job anymore. The 2015 government pay scale doubling the salaries and perks is the main reason for that.

Once, bright students used to prefer jobs in multinational institutions and banking sectors. Now all students opt for BCS examinations to secure a public job.

Due to this turnabout, entrepreneurs also struggle finding skilled manpower. Entrepreneurs want educated, skilled and qualified people for their organisations, but youths are not interested in private firms any more – prompting a crisis for a qualified workforce facing the private sector.

Four to five lakh new graduates enter the job market every year while the government takes 2,000-3,000 through the BCS exam. As a result, many new graduates remain unemployed.

On top of this, many graduates leave the private sector to take preparations for the BCS examinations.

Fahim Mashroor, CEO at bdjobs.com, spoke to The Business Standard's Jahidul Islam.

Top News

Government Jobs / ego / Unemployment

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus leaves for a four-day visit to the United Kingdom from the Dhaka airport on 9 June 2025. Photo: CA Press Wing
    CA Yunus leaves for UK; discussion expected on renewable energy investment, laundered money
  • Donald Trump. Photo: Reuters
    Trump defends sending National Guard to LA as California governor to sue administration
  • California Governor Gavin Newsom. File Photo: REUTERS/Fred Greaves
    California Governor Newsom to sue Trump over National Guard deployment amid LA protests

MOST VIEWED

  • On left, Abdullah Hil Rakib, former senior vice president (SVP) of BGMEA and additional managing director of Team Group; on right, Captain Md Saifuzzaman (Guddu), a Boeing 787 Dreamliner pilot for Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Photos: Collected
    Ex-BGMEA SVP Abdullah Hil Rakib, Biman 787 pilot Saifuzzaman drown in boating accident in Canada
  • A photo showing the former president on his return to Dhaka today (9 June). 
Source: Collected
    Former president Abdul Hamid returns to Bangladesh from Thailand
  • File photo of Eid holidaymakers returning to the capital from their country homes/Rajib Dhar
    Dhaka: The city we never want to return to, but always do
  • Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus leaves for a four-day visit to the United Kingdom from the Dhaka airport on 9 June 2025. Photo: CA Press Wing
    CA Yunus leaves for UK; discussion expected on renewable energy investment, laundered money
  • Inside the aid ship stormed by Israeli forces on 9 June 2025. Photo: BBC
    Israeli forces stormed aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg bound for Gaza: Freedom Flotilla Coalition
  • Enhanced surveillance at Ctg airport amid rising global Covid-19 cases
    Enhanced surveillance at Ctg airport amid rising global Covid-19 cases

Related News

  • Unemployment rate hits historic high, rises to 4.63% as 27.4 lakh now jobless
  • Govt set to introduce waiting list for grades 10-12 job recruitment
  • Educated but unemployed; joblessness soars among graduates in Bangladesh 
  • Bangladesh's job crisis deepens as private sector stalls
  • How can Bangladesh integrate the remaining half into its labour force?

Features

File photo of Eid holidaymakers returning to the capital from their country homes/Rajib Dhar

Dhaka: The city we never want to return to, but always do

23h | Features
Photo collage shows political posters in Bagerhat. Photos: Jannatul Naym Pieal

From Sheikh Dynasty to sibling rivalry: Bagerhat signals a turning tide in local politics

2d | Bangladesh
Illustration: TBS

Unbearable weight of the white coat: The mental health crisis in our medical colleges

5d | Panorama
(From left) Sadia Haque, Sylvana Quader Sinha and Tasfia Tasbin. Sketch: TBS

Meet the women driving Bangladesh’s startup revolution

5d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

US and China to meet in London for trade talks

US and China to meet in London for trade talks

12h | TBS World
The forbidden point on Cox's Bazar beach is like a death trap

The forbidden point on Cox's Bazar beach is like a death trap

14h | TBS Today
Israeli forces seize Gaza aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg

Israeli forces seize Gaza aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg

16h | TBS World
Which way will the anti-immigration campaign in Los Angeles turn?

Which way will the anti-immigration campaign in Los Angeles turn?

16h | TBS World
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net