Ensuring decent and dignified work in Bangladesh

On August 5, 2024, after ruling Bangladesh with an iron fist for over 15 years, Sheikh Hasina fled the country following month-long protests that turned deadly due to the brutal tactics employed by her government. The protests initially opposed the reservation of quotas in government jobs. However, the grievances of the young protesters, their disapproval of such quotas, and their aspirations for government employment stem from deeper issues—namely, the desire for decent jobs in a struggling economy.
In Bangladesh, government jobs symbolise dignity—which many of the nation's youth crave. The central issue underlying their frustrations is massive unemployment. While the national unemployment rate is around three percent, youth unemployment is significantly higher, at about eight percent, reflecting a troubling trend of jobless growth.

Between 2013 and 2016-17, Bangladesh's GDP grew at an average annual rate of 6.6 percent, yet employment grew by only 0.9 percent annually—less than one-eighth of the economic growth rate during that period. This suggests that the benefits of growth have been concentrated among a small elite, leaving the general population increasingly frustrated and angry, as evidenced by the protests.

Bangladesh is at a demographic crossroads, with youth (aged 15-29) comprising 36.7 percent of the total labour force (LFS 2022). Yet the country is missing out on the opportunity to capitalise on this "demographic dividend," as 40.67 percent of youth are not in employment, education, or training (NEET). Alarmingly, 14.7 percent of the long-term unemployed (those jobless for over two years) have tertiary education. This has only deepened the frustrations of young people, whose investments in education have not yielded much tangible benefits. If the growing segment of the population neglected both by the education and job sectors is not addressed, the societal consequences—such as rising crime and unrest—could become much worse.

In 2015, Bangladesh signed onto the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with Goal 8 emphasising sustained, inclusive economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. However, even after a decade, Bangladesh has failed to meet these targets. And the absence of decent jobs has severely impacted the lives of young people and their families, whose earnings have not kept pace with the rising cost of living.

Bangladesh's job crisis can be attributed to a lack of foreign direct investment (FDI) and the stagnant industrial and manufacturing sectors. For years, the business environment in Bangladesh has been inhospitable to new enterprises, due to burdensome administrative red tape and widespread extortion of business owners. As a result, new investments have not flowed into productive sectors of the economy. While there is much talk about encouraging self-employment and entrepreneurship among young people, significant structural barriers remain. These include limited access to credit, inadequate market access, and insufficient infrastructure. These political and economic challenges underpin the lack of investment in job-creating industries.

Other than the ready-made garment (RMG) sector, Bangladesh has failed to foster the growth of new industries, thereby limiting opportunities for economic expansion. The RMG industry has been a reliable source of employment, particularly for women, but it is rife with worker exploitation. Long hours and a lack of breaks take a heavy toll on workers' health, and many women leave the industry as they age. Instances of sexual and verbal abuse in the workplace are also common. And the threat of automation poses additional risks, particularly for female workers. One potential solution is to develop the care industry, providing specialised training and capacity-building for women. This could create sustainable, decent employment opportunities abroad, especially in developed countries with ageing populations.

High-paying, formal private sector jobs sought by young people often require strong communication skills (in both native and English languages), computing, data management, and teamwork—skills that are largely absent from Bangladesh's education curriculum. Consequently, underprivileged youth, who lack access to alternative avenues for acquiring these skills, are left at a disadvantage. The prevalence of favouritism and nepotism in the job market, coupled with a mismatch between academia and industry, further compounds the challenges faced by youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Each year, many Bangladeshis migrate to Gulf countries as labourers, but most of them are unskilled or low-skilled workers. The treatment of these workers is often inhumane, with passports confiscated upon arrival and long, abusive work hours becoming a daily reality. Female domestic workers are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse. Successive governments in Bangladesh have turned a blind eye to these abuses, prioritising remittances over the well-being of our workers. While foreign exchange earnings are important, ensuring the safety and dignity of migrant workers must be the topmost priority.

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Bangladesh should enhance its migrant workforce by sending more skilled labourers abroad, thereby increasing their earning potential. To this end, it is crucial to re-evaluate the role of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes. Unfortunately, social stigma still surrounds these institutions, which are seen as inferior to traditional education, despite the opportunities they offer. It is also essential to modernise TVET curricula and strengthen ties with industries. The emphasis should be on the quality of jobs rather than their quantity. Moreover, given how dependent Gulf countries are on our relatively cheap labour, Bangladeshi authorities should pressure these governments to ensure their agencies adhere to international labour standards.

The labour market in Bangladesh is exploitative. Youth are often forced to work for extremely low wages, with no adjustment for inflation, leaving them vulnerable to price shocks. Meanwhile, high-paying jobs frequently demand sacrifices in work-life balance, underscoring the inadequacy of labour laws.

As Bangladesh continues its journey towards economic restructuring, it is imperative to create jobs that provide dignity and security for its people. Engaging all relevant stakeholders in dialogue can help pave the way for incorporating safety nets and social protections into job creation strategies. Social cohesion and peace can only be achieved if no segment of society feels marginalised or ignored in the country's development process. As such, providing decent jobs is one of the keys to addressing the long-ignored concerns of the youth.

Lubaba Mahjabin Prima is research assistant at South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM). She can be reached at mehzabeenlubaba@gmail.com.

Views expressed in this article are the author's own.

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