Unemployment in Bangladesh Surges by 160,000 in One Year: 13.54% of Graduates Unemployed

BDD News Desk

In just one year, the number of unemployed individuals in Bangladesh has increased by 160,000. By the end of December last year, the total number of unemployed people stood at 2.62 million, compared to 2.46 million at the end of 2023. Among the unemployed, the highest proportion, 13.54%, are university graduates. Simultaneously, the number of people in the working population has also decreased. These findings were revealed in the final report of the Labour Force Survey 2024, published by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) on Thursday.

Unemployment by Educational Qualification

According to the report, the highest unemployment rate is among those who have completed graduate-level education. The unemployment rate for university graduates is 13.54%. For those who have completed higher secondary education, the unemployment rate is 7.13%, while for secondary school graduates, it is 1.96%. Conversely, individuals with no formal education have the lowest unemployment rate, at just 1.25%.

Definition of Unemployment

The BBS follows the guidelines of the International Labour Organization (ILO) to determine unemployment. Individuals who are capable of working but are not engaged in any employment, are actively seeking work, and are ready to join if given the opportunity are classified as unemployed. However, those who work for at least one hour per week in wage-based employment are not considered unemployed. Additionally, individuals engaged in productive activities without wages, such as poultry farming for household purposes, are not classified as unemployed. The labor force includes individuals aged 15 years and older.

Survey Methodology

The data for the survey was collected from January 1 to December 31, 2024. During this period, 1,284 primary sampling units were selected across the country, and data was collected quarterly on a random basis. A total of 123,264 households were surveyed across the four quarters. **Unemployment by Division** The BBS report indicates that the highest number of unemployed individuals is in Dhaka Division, totaling 687,000. This is followed by Chattogram Division with 584,000 unemployed individuals and Rajshahi Division with 357,000. Khulna has 331,000 unemployed people, Sylhet 216,000, Rangpur 206,000, Barishal 139,000, and Mymensingh Division has 104,000 unemployed individuals.

Urban and Rural Scenario

Educated unemployment is higher than illiterate unemployment in both rural and urban areas. Notably, the unemployment rate among educated women in urban areas is comparatively high, standing at 7.60%. In rural areas, the unemployment rate for educated women is around 3%.

Male and Female Unemployment

By the end of 2024, the number of unemployed men in the country increased to 1.8 million, up from 1.64 million in 2023. The number of unemployed women remained unchanged at 820,000. As a result, the overall unemployment rate in the country rose to 3.65%, compared to 3.35% in 2023. Currently, the male unemployment rate is 3.75%, while the female unemployment rate is 3.46%.

State of the Labor Force

The report states that by the end of 2024, the proportion of the employed population dropped to 58.90%, down from 60.90% the previous year. Meanwhile, the number of people outside the labor force increased to 50.05 million, compared to 47.17 million in 2023. Employment rates have declined in all three sectors—agriculture, industry, and services. The number of working-age people decreased to 71.73 million in one year, down from 73.45 million the previous year, a reduction of 1.72 million. Both male and female labor force participation has decreased. Notably, the youth labor force has significantly dropped to 22.6 million, compared to 26.7 million in 2023.

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