A.K.M. Mahfuzur Rahman
In today’s global economy, a university degree alone no longer guarantees employment. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, digital platforms, and the gig economy is reshaping the future of work. Bangladesh, with 67% of its population in the working-age group, stands at the edge of both opportunity and risk. Without digital literacy, adaptability, multilingual ability, and professional acumen, this young workforce may slip into unemployment and frustration, harming both society and the national economy.
The unemployment trend in Bangladesh is alarming. Between October and December 2024, the unemployment rate climbed to 4.63%, leaving 2.7 million jobless. Among them, university graduates are the most vulnerable. Graduate unemployment has risen from 9.7% in 2013 to 27.8% in 2022, and currently, 28% of graduates remain unemployed despite completing higher education. Every year, 7–8 lakh graduates enter the job market, but only 4–5 lakh new jobs are created, leaving a deficit of at least 2 lakh. Particularly disadvantaged are those from liberal arts and general education backgrounds.
This is not unique to Bangladesh youth worldwide face similar risks. The International Labour Organization (ILO) projects youth unemployment at 12.6% in 2025, far higher than the global average of 5%. A Kickresume survey shows 58% of fresh graduates struggle to find jobs due to lack of experience and skills, while entry-level positions are shrinking across Europe and North America. AI and automation are displacing many roles, yet at the same time, fields like data science, cybersecurity, blockchain, green technology, and AI prompt engineering are creating new opportunities. For Gen Z, these emerging industries represent the jobs of the future.
Bangladesh is positioning itself in global IT, with nearly 1 million professionals engaged and a $5 billion export target by 2025. Opportunities are booming in cloud computing, cybersecurity, machine learning, and software development. The country is also the world’s second-largest provider of freelancers. Beyond IT, sectors like ready-made garments, pharmaceuticals, health tech, agro-tech, renewable energy, and electronics are opening new doors. Abroad, young Bangladeshis continue to strengthen the economy through remittances nearly 60% of which come from youth labor in the Middle East, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Yet, one of the gravest challenges is the mismatch between employer expectations and graduate preparedness. Nearly 80% of employers demand digital skills, but only half of graduates possess them. Weaknesses in English proficiency, problem-solving, and workplace adaptability are widespread, and industry–academia partnerships remain fragile. While private university students often do better in internships and foreign language exposure, most graduates lack sufficient workplace readiness, limiting their retention and growth in jobs.
Bangladesh’s demographic dividend can only become a development dividend through urgent reforms. Priorities include aligning curricula with market needs, strengthening industry–academia partnerships, ensuring safe workplaces for women, expanding short-term training in AI, Data Science, IoT, and Blockchain, and developing rural job ecosystems in agro-tech and handicrafts. The World Bank estimates Bangladesh must create 2 million jobs annually for the next decade, while 45% of employed youth remain in insecure informal work. Learning from India and Vietnam’s national skill missions, Bangladesh must invest in training linked to industry demand. With the right strategy, policy, and collaboration, today’s youth can transform from a population burden into a globally competitive, innovative workforce.
The writer is the Deputy Director and Faculty HR, North South University