LESS than half of the target for creating 39 lakh jobs has been achieved in the first two years 2016-17 of the government’s Seventh Five-Year Plan (SFYP), though the country witnessed a robust economic growth at that time. Only 17.8 lakh jobs were created during the aforesaid period. The “7th plan” aims to create jobs for the large number of underemployed and new labour force.
As per the mid-term review of the SFYP, the manufacturing sector grew by only 10.22 per cent in the FY17. The jobless growth seems an irony of economy when the country sees more than seven per cent annual growth, which was spurred mainly by the manufacturing sector. The sector’s share in total employment remained stagnant at 14.4 per cent in the first two years of the plan. It is estimated that six persons are needed for the same task which required 10 in the past and the number of labour would be decreased for the extensive use of tools and machinery. It’s true that, new jobs have not been created because of the use of modern machinery and technology. But it’s not only the reason. With the induction of fourth industrial revolution, the automation and robot would replace the jobs in factories and other workplaces to do the risky and hazardous works earlier assigned for human.
Taking modernization under consideration, the government had set the target to generate a total of 1.29 crore employment in the SFYP beginning from FY2016 to FY2020. But the job creation rate is dramatically slowest for human at home and abroad. Probably it’s not only a national crisis, also an international crisis. Full phase automation is yet to be initiated in many countries, where most Bangladeshi workers are employed, but the time is not far away. Unless and until we train up our unskilled manpower in creative line, the large labour market would be useless tools.
The authorities concerned should realize the negative impact of upcoming storm and take preparation to face the crisis.
