CONCERN over the unemployment rate among the educated youths is increasing alarmingly. The average unemployment rate among the graduates is quite high as much as 33.2 per cent in the country, said a recent report by Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS). Against the shrinking job market due to automation, skill-gap, and foreigners’ dominance in managerial positions, the government’s focus on employment generation is not visible. BIDS study stated that the unemployment rate among the Bachelor’s degree holders is 33.6 per cent while among the Master’s degree holders 34.3 per cent. Unemployment is comparatively low among the SSC and HSC passed persons, which are 26.79 per cent and 27.95 per cent respectively.
Not only that, the unemployment rate among educated female youth and educated youth from villages are also high – 38.1 per cent and 46.22 per cent respectively – than their counterparts from the male group and city youths. According to the study, only 48.7 per cent youth aged between 18 and 35 years with at least SSC degree and up to Master’s degree have full-time employment and 18.1 per cent are engaged in part-time employment. Earlier, a World Bank study based on Labour Force Survey in 2016 also found youth unemployment around one-third while another study conducted under the Higher Education Quality Enhancement Project of the government found that 38 per cent graduates were unemployed. The study had also revealed that the employment outcome is better for those studied in private institutions compared to those studied at public institutions.
However, the government seems not to have any worry that huge number of educated people remaining unused and unemployed. Any government will find such a situation explosive. But finding the people tolerating every wrong, though the working people in various sectors are going for strike, the government cannot see any threat from the unemployment crisis. We believe that the situation may worsen if timely care is not taken by the authorities. The sooner, the better.
