More unemployment among youth with higher education: Fahmida Khatun   | 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

Friday
June 13, 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
FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2025
More unemployment among youth with higher education: Fahmida Khatun  

Economy

TBS Report
08 June, 2024, 03:25 pm
Last modified: 09 June, 2024, 12:30 pm

Related News

  • Unemployment rate hits historic high, rises to 4.63% as 27.4 lakh now jobless
  • 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?
  • US job growth slows in January; unemployment rate at 4.0%

More unemployment among youth with higher education: Fahmida Khatun  

Women with over 9-year education face higher unemployment

TBS Report
08 June, 2024, 03:25 pm
Last modified: 09 June, 2024, 12:30 pm
Dr Fahmida Khatun. Sketch: TBS
Dr Fahmida Khatun. Sketch: TBS

The more time spent in formal education, the higher the unemployment rate in the country, according to Dr Fahmida Khatun, executive director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue.

"There is an unusual relationship between education and unemployment, and unfortunately, it's not favourable. We observe an alarming trend where individuals struggle to find employment as their level of educational qualification rises," Fahmida said today during a webinar on "Youth unemployment in Bangladesh" organised by the Forum for Bangladesh Studies.

She highlighted that educated youth, particularly those with 11 years or more of institutional education, face prolonged unemployment despite their qualifications. Besides, women with more than nine years of institutional education experience higher unemployment rates.

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

"Besides, those with less than seven years of institutional education have significantly lower unemployment rates, finding employment more easily," she added.

Citing the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) "Labour Force Survey" data, Fahmida said the unemployment rate in the country is 3.6%, with youth unemployment accounting for about 80% of this figure.

Additionally, the NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) rate stands at 30%, a statistic the economist described as "terrible."

She criticised the current method of measuring unemployment, based on International Labour Organization (ILO) guidelines, which consider individuals who work at least one hour per week as employed.

She argued that this approach doesn't accurately reflect unemployment in Bangladesh, where short-term employment is uncommon.

"The unemployment rate in the country, as per BBS data, stands below 4%, based on the ILO guidelines, which consider individuals working at least one hour per week as employed. However, this figure does not accurately reflect the true unemployment scenario in our country, as it is uncommon for people to hire someone for just an hour," she explained.

She further said the economic recession has significantly impacted our country's overall economic stability. "Despite this, our growth trajectory remains positive.

"However, private sector investment in our country is notably lower compared to GDP, standing at about 23.5%. While we have witnessed GDP growth over the last decade, employment growth has not kept pace, particularly evident in the declining employment opportunities in the agricultural sector."

Approximately 90% of total employment in the industrial sector and about 68% in the service sector are informal, she noted, adding that informal recruitment practices hinder the creation of decent employment opportunities.

As a panel discussant, Fahim Mashroor, CEO of bdjobs.com, expressed grave concern over the alarming state of youth unemployment in the country.

He warned that the current trajectory of the country's economy could exacerbate the unemployment crisis further. "Our job market has remained stagnant since the onset of the pandemic, despite our transition from a less developed country to a developing one."

He highlighted a significant skills gap among students, noting that many college and university graduates aspire to work for multinational companies but lack the necessary language and communication skills.

"In the past, government jobs were preferred by individuals from rural areas. However, even urban students now show a strong inclination towards government employment over private sector jobs," Fahim observed.

He pointed out the challenge faced by organisations in sifting through a large number of applications for a single job posting, attributing this to the lack of adequate skills and training among applicants, despite their institutional education.

He further said, "While the government is allocating a significant portion of the budget towards skill development, I believe that directing industry-centric funding through the private sector, rather than solely focusing on institutional programs, would yield more impactful results." 

Bangladesh / Top News

Unemployment / Unemployment Rate / jobless rate / youth employment

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

  • Infographics: TBS
    Lengthy legal road ahead to repatriate Saifuzzaman's wealth from UK
  • From fact-checker to fact-checked: CA Press Wing’s turn in the hot seat
    From fact-checker to fact-checked: CA Press Wing’s turn in the hot seat
  • Wreckage of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner showing part of its registration "VT-ANB" in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Amit Dave
    Air India Dreamliner crashes into Ahmedabad college hostel, kills over 290

MOST VIEWED

  • Keir Starmer declines to meet CA Yunus: FT report
    Keir Starmer declines to meet CA Yunus: FT report
  • Wreckage of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner showing part of its registration "VT-ANB" in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Amit Dave
    Air India Dreamliner crashes into Ahmedabad college hostel, kills over 290
  • Saifuzzaman Chowdhury. Photo: Collected
    UK crime agency now freezes assets of ex-land minister Saifuzzaman: AJ
  • File Photo of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus: UNB
    Prof Yunus to receive Harmony Award from King Charles today
  • Infofgraphics: TBS
    DGHS issues 11-point directive to prevent spread of Covid-19 in Bangladesh
  • Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur. TBS Sketch
    Bangladesh mulls settlements with tycoons over offshore wealth: BB governor tells FT

Related News

  • Unemployment rate hits historic high, rises to 4.63% as 27.4 lakh now jobless
  • 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?
  • US job growth slows in January; unemployment rate at 4.0%

Features

Among pet birds in the country, lovebirds are the most common, and they are also the most numerous in the haat. Photo: Junayet Rashel

Where feathers meet fortune: How a small pigeon stall became Dhaka’s premiere bird market

1d | Panorama
Illustration: Duniya Jahan/ TBS

Forget Katy Perry, here’s Bangladesh’s Ruthba Yasmin shooting for the moon

2d | 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

3d | 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

5d | Bangladesh

More Videos from TBS

Banks' estimates were wrong: Bangladesh Bank spokesperson

Banks' estimates were wrong: Bangladesh Bank spokesperson

3h | Podcast
What exactly happened to the ill-fated Boeing aircraft?

What exactly happened to the ill-fated Boeing aircraft?

5h | TBS World
Govt to set up Debt Office as loan burden to hit Tk29 lakh cr by FY28

Govt to set up Debt Office as loan burden to hit Tk29 lakh cr by FY28

5h | TBS Insight
Curfew imposed for second night in Los Angeles

Curfew imposed for second night in Los Angeles

6h | 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