Agenda for next govt: Creating jobs for youths, developing skills

Unemployment in educated youth is on the rise. Half of graduates who pass out from National University-affiliated colleges every year are without jobs due to poor skills. Industrial growth has slowed, investment  stagnated, hiring shrinked.

Taking note of the dire situation on the ground, representatives of major political parties contesting the 12 February elections elaborated on their plans on how to engage youths in productive ventures. While industries have asked for supportive policies, job market analysts stressed on technical training to overcome skill gaps.

Their views came at a citizens' dialogue titled "Youth and Employment: Political Thinking and Reality," jointly organised by Democracy International and The Business Standard.

Joining the discussion, young leaders from the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party (NCP) and other parties  said if they come to power, immediate initiatives to create jobs would be taken in the first phase, followed by structural reforms in the medium term and the development of a sustainable, employment-based economy in the long term.

The discussion was held yesterday at the TBS conference room, where Catherine Cecil, Chief of Party of Democracy International (DI) in Bangladesh, delivered the welcome address.

The event was moderated by TBS Executive Editor Shakhawat Liton and concluded with a vote of thanks by Aminul Ehsan, Deputy Chief of Party of Democracy International.

According to an opinion poll conducted by Democracy International in November 2025, 40.4% of respondents said they were not better off than a year earlier. Reduced income opportunities (27.4%) and rising commodity prices (17%) were cited as the main reasons. The survey also found that 37.2% of respondents believe political parties do not seriously consider youth concerns, while 13.9% said they were unsure.

Catherine Cecil said employment has remained a top priority for Bangladeshis for a long time, particularly among young people.

Saiyed Abdullah, Policy Team Member of BNP, said that if BNP comes to power in the next national election, employment generation will be treated as the principal instrument of state governance.

He said nearly 46% of the country's voters are young and first-time voters, yet a large portion of them are still unable to find jobs commensurate with their qualifications.

"At the BNP's policy-making level, separate sector-based policy papers have been prepared with employment at the core. Given the limited scope of government jobs, the main objective of these policies is to reduce dependence on public-sector employment and strengthen the private sector," he said.

Regarding implementation timelines, he said, "If we come to power, immediate employment-oriented initiatives will be launched within the first 90 to 180 days, medium-term projects will be implemented within 18 months, and long-term structural reforms will be completed within five years."

Saiyed Abdullah said that alongside the garment sector, there are plans to transform light engineering, leather and footwear, and the sports industry into export-oriented sectors to boost industrial employment. Sports will be developed not merely as entertainment but as a full-fledged economic sector, creating opportunities for sports goods manufacturing and access to international markets.

He identified the information technology sector as the fastest avenue for employment generation.

On overseas employment, he said BNP's focus would be on exporting skilled manpower rather than unskilled labour. To that end, he said there are plans to make one foreign language mandatory alongside English from the secondary level.

As part of region-based development, he also said there are plans to provide low-interest loans based on each district's heritage and promising products.

The discussion noted that around 26 lakh people are currently unemployed in the country, with youth unemployment close to 30.9%. Women's participation and job insecurity in the informal sector have further complicated the situation.

In this context, Dr Hafizur Rahman, Member of the Central Committee of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, said that if Jamaat comes to power in the next national election, employment generation will be developed as a comprehensive "employment ecosystem".

He said a Youth First Policy would be formulated, adding, "Jamaat has set a target to ensure employment for at least 1 crore people in a planned manner over the next five years. Of these, at least 15 lakh will be direct new jobs, and another 25 lakh people, particularly youth, will be newly integrated into the labour market, with special emphasis on the participation of women and marginalised communities."

He said Jamaat's plans would centre on skills-based education and industry-oriented employment.

Mentioning large-scale recruitment in the public sector as well, he said the goal is to fill the vast number of vacant government posts within one and a half years. He also spoke of establishing a central job bank through coordination among expatriate employment agencies, industrial entrepreneurs, NGOs and various ministries.

Ariful Islam Adeeb, Senior Joint Convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), said fairness, security and new job creation must be prioritised to resolve the employment crisis.

Sharing his experience as a member of the Labour Reform Commission, he said, "The biggest employment crisis in the country has been created by a lack of transparency and discrimination in recruitment processes." 

According to him, the perception that recruitment takes place based on recommendations and partisan considerations despite merit is discouraging educated youth and reducing interest in employment.

He said, "Currently, about 85% of the country's workers are employed in the informal sector, where they have no recognition, job security or social protection. In this situation, ensuring minimum workplace safety and recognition is essential."

The NCP leader said agriculture and information technology should be given special importance in creating new employment. He noted that although educated youth are increasingly moving away from agriculture, the sector holds significant potential.

He also said social awareness is needed to eliminate the divide between 'white-collar' and 'blue-collar' jobs and to foster a mindset that respects all forms of work.

Mohammad Hatem, President of BKMEA, said, "The main obstacle to employment generation in the country right now is the deep crisis in the industrial sector."

He said that while Bangladesh's vast labour force should have been a blessing, flawed policies and economic instability have turned it into a burden. He noted that although around 7,50,000 graduates enter the job market every year, a large portion remain unemployed because industrial expansion has stalled.

"Increasing investment is essential for new employment, but under the current circumstances, domestic entrepreneurs are not expanding and foreign investment is also being discouraged," he said.

He added that unless industry-friendly policies are adopted, skilled manpower developed and technical education prioritised, the employment crisis will deepen further.

Fahim Mashroor, Founder of Bdjobs, said educated unemployment has risen sharply – from 4.9% in 2010 to 12% in 2022 – while unemployment among the uneducated has declined.

"Every year around 7,50,000 educated graduates enter the market, most of whom remain unemployed. Creating effective employment opportunities for graduates of the National University is particularly important; otherwise, they remain jobless," he added.

He urged that arrangements be made so that about 4,50,000 National University students can acquire at least one practical skill alongside their regular studies.

He also stressed banning unskilled migration abroad and allowing only skilled migration.

Dilruba S Khan, Group HR Director at AkijBashir Group, highlighted a paradox in the labour market, saying industries often report labour shortages while jobseekers complain of a lack of work. She suggested adopting a future-oriented academic curriculum aligned with industry needs.

Marina Sultana, Director (Programme) of the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), said institutional reforms are needed in the migration sector to address migrant workers' lack of rights and to promote skilled employment. She suggested bringing upazila-level technical training centres under public–private partnerships to enhance their capacity.

Tania Wahab, Managing Partner of Karigar, said, "I currently employ 100 people, but we could expand the business with up to 500 workers. However, insecurity, extortion and similar issues have become major challenges for our business."

Taslima Akter, Member of the Political Council of Ganosamhati Andolon, said, "Many workers who lost their jobs over the past one and a half years are still unemployed. Everyone expects that investment will increase and jobs will be created once a new government is formed through elections."

The dialogue was organised under the B-SPACE project, implemented by Democracy International, with funding support from the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the UN Electoral Project Ballot & DRIP.