Employment continues to rank among the top concerns for citizens in Bangladesh, with growing expectations that political parties will present clear and actionable plans ahead of the upcoming national election. These issues were discussed at a dialogue jointly organized by Democracy International (DI) and The Business Standard (TBS) on Monday (12 January 2026) in Dhaka,a press release said.
According to an opinion poll conducted by Democracy International in November 2025, 40.4 percent of respondents reported that they were not better off than a year earlier. Reduced income opportunities (27.4 percent) and rising commodity prices (17 percent) were cited as the main reasons. The survey further found that 37.2 percent of respondents believe political parties do not seriously consider youth concerns, while 13.9 percent said they were unsure.
In her introductory remarks, Catherine Cecil, Chief of Party of Democracy International in Bangladesh, said employment has remained a top priority for Bangladeshis for a long time, particularly among young people.
The dialogue brought together policymakers, political party representatives, business leaders, and labour experts to exchange views on employment challenges and policy responses.
From the private sector perspective, Fahim Mashroor, Founder of Bdjobs, said Bangladesh’s unemployment challenge should be viewed in a global context, noting that some neighbouring countries face higher unemployment rates. However, he warned that educated unemployment has increased sharply—from 4.9 percent in 2010 to 12 percent in 2022—while uneducated unemployment has declined.
Dilruba S. Khan, Group HR Director at AkijBashir Group, highlighted a disconnect in the labour market, noting that industries often report labour shortages while jobseekers cite a lack of opportunities. She attributed this gap to shortages in skilled labour and weak coordination between training programmes and industry needs, stressing the importance of productivity enhancement, skill-based education, and curriculum reform starting at the school level.
Marina Sultana, Director of Programme at the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), said that between 1.1 and 1.2 million young people migrate abroad each year, most of them aged 18 to 26. She noted that around 40,000 migrant workers returned home in the first six months of last year due to skill mismatches and limited employment opportunities, pointing to gaps in recruitment management and training systems. She stressed the need for market-oriented training and stronger regulation of recruitment agencies to remain competitive in the global labour market.
Expressing concern from the industrial sector, Mohammad Hatem, President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), warned that factories are gradually being forced to shut down due to challenges in banking and industrial policies.
“In the last two years, we have faced challenges unlike anything seen in the past 38 years,” he said, urging urgent reforms to strengthen the industrial base and protect employment.
On political party positions, Saiyed Abdullah, Policy Team Member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), said employment creation would be central to addressing future challenges. He outlined party plans focused on skill development, IT sector expansion, low-interest loans for migrant workers, and the introduction of language education from the high school level, noting that employment generation is a key consideration when the party formulates and reviews its policies.
Dr. Hafizur Rahman, Member of the National Election Conducting Committee of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, stressed youth employment as a top priority, proposing large-scale skill-based training, local language centres, youth loan programmes, and tax reforms.
Ariful Islam Adeeb, Senior Joint Convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), emphasised merit-based recruitment, job security, and job creation in the agriculture and IT sectors.
Taslima Akter, Member of the Political Council of Ganosamhati Andolon, said factory closures in recent times have led to widespread job losses, leaving many workers without alternative employment. She added that workers remain hopeful that new investments after the election will result in the creation of new job opportunities.
Tania Wahab, Managing Partner of Karigar, said many factories are struggling to retain workers and called for reducing harassment, extortion, and insecurity faced by entrepreneurs. She also recommended region-specific development plans, particularly in tourist areas, to support local entrepreneurship and create employment.
The dialogue was moderated by Shakhawat Liton, Executive Editor of The Business Standard, and concluded with a vote of thanks by Aminul Ehsan, Deputy Chief of Party of Democracy International.
The dialogue was organized under the B-SPACE project, implemented by Democracy International, with funding support from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and UN Electoral Project Ballot & DRIP.
