A looming crisis of graduate unemployment is casting a long shadow over Bangladesh, according to a leading economist. Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Research Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), has painted a stark picture of a job market tilted heavily in favour of low-skilled workers.
While acknowledging the government’s significant workforce, Moazzem emphasized that the bulk of employment opportunities lie in the private sector.
The problem, he asserts, is a mismatch between the number of graduates and suitable jobs. “Our job structure is alarmingly skewed,” Moazzem said, likening it to the shape of the Eiffel Tower.
“There’s a surplus of jobs at the base for low-skilled workers, but a glaring shortage at the top for managerial and white-collar positions.”
This disparity, he believes, is a primary reason for the growing exodus of educated youth seeking better prospects abroad.
The allure of public sector jobs, limited as they may be, has intensified the competition, leading to increased frustration among graduates.
“In such a situation, frustration grows when graduates see that the sco0pe to get a job is reduced,” added Moazzem.
However, Moazzem is unequivocal in his stance that reforming the quota system is not a panacea for graduate unemployment.
Instead, he places the onus on the private sector to create more high-skilled job opportunities.
If we want to solve the problem of unemployment, the private sector has to play an important role.
According to Research Director at the Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), high employment rate among graduates enables the private sector to exploit them and o0ffer low salaries.
At present there are 26 lakh unemployed people in the country, with 21.46 lakh or almost 83 percent aged between 15 and 19.
The experts’ comments underscore the pressing need for a comprehensive strategy to address the burgeoning graduate unemployment crisis.
Policymakers and businesses alike must work in tandem to create a job market that can accommodate the nation’s growing pool of educated talent.
