Bangladesh risks falling behind without urgent action on AI and automation, experts warn
Experts warn that weak policy implementation, inadequate skills development and limited social protection could leave millions of workers vulnerable as automation reshapes the labour market.
Bangladesh risks falling behind in the rapidly changing world of work unless it urgently strengthens skills development, social protection and policy implementation to address the impacts of automation and artificial intelligence (AI), experts warned today (15 July).
The webinar, titled "Work in Flux: Foresight for the Future of Work in the Global South," was organised by the Centre for Policy Dialogue, LIRNEasia, JustJobs Network, Southern Voice and the Citizen's Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh, with support from Canada's International Development Research Centre.
Presenting CPD's latest foresight study, Towfiqul Islam Khan, additional research director at CPD, said Bangladesh recently lost around 1.3 million jobs, with women accounting for nearly 90% of those losses. He warned that up to 1.22 million RMG jobs could be threatened by automation by 2041, particularly affecting low-skilled female workers.
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He also criticised Bangladesh's low investment in education, noting that public spending remains around 1.3% of GDP, while technical and vocational education and training remain poorly aligned with future labour market demands.
Chairing the session, Debapriya Bhattacharya, distinguished fellow at CPD, said Bangladesh's biggest challenge is not the lack of policies but weak implementation and poor coordination among institutions.
As industries automate to remain competitive after LDC graduation, he said, adequate protection for displaced workers remains absent.
"The technological transition must be actively managed by the state," Debapriya said, warning that failure to do so could deepen inequality.
Helani Galpaya, CEO of LIRNEasia, said the growing gig economy should not be viewed as a universal solution, pointing to the digital divide that limits women's access to online work.
She also argued that digital platforms often shift financial and occupational risks onto workers.
Sabina Dewan, president and executive director of JustJobs Network, urged policymakers to prioritise the quality of jobs rather than simply increasing employment numbers. She called on global brands driving automation in supply chains to help finance worker reskilling, saying a "just transition" requires preparing workers before technology replaces them.
Representing the ILO, Gunjan Bahadur Dallakoti stressed that small and medium enterprises need greater support to adopt digital technologies while formalizing employment and strengthening labour institutions.
Drawing on Latin American experience, Ramiro Albrieu of Argentina's CIPPEC said countries in the Global South must invest in digital skills to fully utilise their demographic advantage and adopt long-term foresight planning rather than reacting to crises.
The speakers agreed that Bangladesh's future competitiveness will depend not only on technological adoption but also on coordinated policies that ensure automation creates inclusive, resilient and decent employment rather than widening inequality.
