The Department of Entrepreneurship Economics at Dhaka School of Economics (DScE) is seeking to reposition economics education in Bangladesh by training students as entrepreneurs rather than job seekers, in a shift it says is necessary for a labour market where job creation has not kept pace with graduates.
The programme is being implemented at DScE in Dhaka, where the department combines economics, business management, technology and leadership into a single curriculum aimed at building startup founders and business leaders.
Faculty members say the initiative responds to a structural gap in the education system, where graduates often enter the labour market with theoretical knowledge but limited exposure to markets, firms and risk-based decision making.
The department offers courses in business and entrepreneurship, economics, data analytics and technology, alongside leadership and personal development. It also embeds practical training through business plan competitions, startup pitching sessions, workshops, corporate visits and innovation projects.
Officials and faculty involved say students are increasingly engaging in early-stage ventures during their studies, supported by mentorship and institutional guidance, reflecting a shift from classroom learning to applied entrepreneurship.
The programme is supported by economists, researchers and entrepreneurship practitioners, with the aim of producing graduates capable of working across startups, banking, corporate sectors, development organisations, consulting, research institutions and government service. Some students also pursue higher studies at home and abroad.
The initiative comes at a time when Bangladesh’s economy is under pressure from slower formal job creation, currency depreciation and rising input costs, which have tightened labour market conditions for new graduates.
The department argues that long-term economic growth will depend less on labour absorption and more on productivity gains, innovation and expansion of small and medium enterprises, making entrepreneurship skills increasingly central to economic policy outcomes.
