TBS Report
16 October, 2026, 07:35 pm
Last modified: 16 October, 2026, 07:38 pm
Nearly 29% of highly educated young people in Bangladesh are unemployed, while around half of highly educated workers are employed in jobs that do not fully use their qualifications and skills, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The findings were highlighted in the IMF's Regional Economic Outlook: Asia and Pacific, released yesterday (15 October) at a press conference at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok, Thailand.
The report said Bangladesh's overall youth unemployment rate stands at 12-13%, but the situation is far worse among highly educated young people.
A mismatch between educational quality and labour market demand has left many struggling to find suitable jobs.
Many graduates work below their qualifications
According to the IMF, nearly 50% of highly educated workers in Bangladesh are employed in occupations below their qualifications.
The gap between the skills acquired through education and employers' needs is a key reason, forcing many people to accept jobs that do not match their training and limiting the economy's productivity.
The report also identified the dominance of the informal sector as a major weakness in the labour market.
Many workers in agriculture and other informal sectors lack formal employment contracts, job security and opportunities for career advancement. Conventional unemployment figures do not fully reflect this insecurity, it said.
Demographic dividend faces employment challenge
The IMF projected that Bangladesh's working-age population, aged 15-64, would grow by around 10-12% between 2025 and 2035.
Creating productive, quality jobs in manufacturing and services will be crucial to turning this demographic growth into an economic advantage.
Without sufficient employment opportunities, rising joblessness could fuel frustration among young people and slow economic growth, the report warned.
AI reshapes labour market demand
The report also highlighted the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on employment across Asia.
Hiring demand in occupations highly exposed to AI has fallen by nearly 10% compared with occupations less affected by the technology, while demand for workers with specialised AI-related skills is increasing.
The IMF warned that Bangladesh's employment challenges could deepen unless workers' skills keep pace with technological changes.
Improving skills, expanding labour market capacity and preparing strategies to create jobs for the future will be key to addressing the challenges.