Job growth didn’t stumble too much | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • TBS Graduates
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Tech
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Friday
September 22, 2023

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • TBS Graduates
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Tech
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2023
Job growth didn’t stumble too much

Analysis

Salman F Rahman
05 March, 2021, 10:50 pm
Last modified: 05 March, 2021, 11:44 pm

Related News

  • Salman F Rahman urges entrepreneurs of commonwealth countries to invest in IT
  • If we fall into 'Middle-income trap' Bangladesh will not become developed nation by 2041: Salman F Rahman
  • Bank interest rates may rise further: Salman F Rahman
  • US entrepreneurs are not worried about election: Salman
  • BNP thought foreigners would be instrumental in 'toppling the Sheikh Hasina govt': Salman F Rahman

Job growth didn’t stumble too much

Salman F Rahman
05 March, 2021, 10:50 pm
Last modified: 05 March, 2021, 11:44 pm
Job growth didn’t stumble too much

The country's job growth did not get impeded too much due to the pandemic. There was a minor setback, but the job sector has already ridden it out.

The government is extensively working to attract domestic and foreign investments. Numerous development works are especially ongoing at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar in Mirsarai, Japan Economic Zone in Araihazar and Matarbari. These economic zones are getting both local and foreign investments even amid the pandemic.

We talk about employment generation all the time. But I do not think the country has a high unemployment rate.

For example, farmers do not get enough agro-workers during the paddy harvesting season. If there had been intensive unemployment, more workers would turn up for farm work. Even industries do not get the required skilled manpower they need. Garments and pharmaceuticals have a crisis in skilled labour.

What the sectors do is they train up staffers after recruitment. Therefore, I do not think the industries, too, have any serious unemployment issues.

We have unemployment among graduates as they all want white-collar jobs. But most of them do not chart out what they would do after graduation. We frequently get jobseekers, many of them being Dhaka University graduates who have majored in History, Persian, Sanskrit or Pali.

There is no doctor or engineer who is jobless. You will get none with vocational or pharmacy training unemployed. It is unacceptable that someone will complete graduation without any career plan and then complain about not getting a job.

The government has formed the National Skill Development Authority. Now what we need to do is pursue vocational training, chart out a career plan and make a career choice. Youths need to figure out their career goals before graduation. And the Skill Development Authority can offer the guidance they need.

Our education system also needs overhauling. Universities should have collaboration with industries. Many universities have already done that, and the teamwork needs to be strengthened and institutionalised.

Freelancing can be a solution for graduates who are still unemployed. The government has arranged identifications and registrations for freelancers.

The country now has 10 lakh freelancers who can work from home by utilising the features of digitisation.

Many graduates are going straight for freelancing after receiving computer training. The ICT ministry offers many skill development schemes and other support to them. Issues related to opening bank accounts for freelancers have been resolved, and more and more youths are opting for the profession.

Another piece of good news is that the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) has taken up an initiative to train entrepreneurs countrywide. Already 25,000 at the district-level have received the training, and 4,000 of them have turned into businessmen after managing trade licences. Most of them are graduates.

If each of the new 4,000 entrepreneurs creates two more businessmen, there will be another 8,000 entrepreneurs – which will encourage others.

The government is working towards creating new entrepreneurs and ways of utilising those who have already emerged as self-made entrepreneurs.


Salman F Rahman, Adviser to Prime Minister on Private Sector Industry and Investment, spoke to The Business Standard's Abul Kashem

Economy / Top News

Salman F Rahman / job growth

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Photo: @UnderSecStateJ/X
    PM Hasina, Uzra Zeya meet; discuss importance of free, fair elections
  • Roads in front of New Market submerged on 22 September 2023. Photo: TBS
    A night of horror for Dhaka residents, many areas still underwater
  • Workers collect indigo leaves at a farm in Rangpur Sadar upazila. An important source of natural infigo dye in the 19th century in colonial India, the plant is seeing a revival through researchers and enthusiasts. The photo was taken recently. Photo: Khorshed Alam
    Indigo farming: Once a dark history, now a blessing

Related News

  • Salman F Rahman urges entrepreneurs of commonwealth countries to invest in IT
  • If we fall into 'Middle-income trap' Bangladesh will not become developed nation by 2041: Salman F Rahman
  • Bank interest rates may rise further: Salman F Rahman
  • US entrepreneurs are not worried about election: Salman
  • BNP thought foreigners would be instrumental in 'toppling the Sheikh Hasina govt': Salman F Rahman

Features

Why is the fixed exchange rate for dollars failing?

Why is the fixed exchange rate for dollars failing?

1d | Panorama
At present, there are about 200 freezing vans operating in Dhaka city. Photo: Nayem Ali

Rising temperature is driving up the use of freezing vans

4h | Features
Illustration: TBS

'Stop subsidising the status quo to avoid middle-income trap'

4h | Panorama
Mountain gorillas are vulnerable species, only found in the willderness. Photo: Muntasir Akash

Against all odds: My encounters with mountain gorillas in Rwanda

23h | Earth

More Videos from TBS

After almost two months, the Ukrainian grain ship left the Black Sea port

After almost two months, the Ukrainian grain ship left the Black Sea port

17h | TBS World
Revenue collection rises 15% in first two months of FY24

Revenue collection rises 15% in first two months of FY24

14h | TBS Economy
Fans call for Amir’s inclusion after Naseem Shah's injury

Fans call for Amir’s inclusion after Naseem Shah's injury

15h | TBS SPORTS
The need for a circular economy in Bangladesh

The need for a circular economy in Bangladesh

18h | TBS Face to Face
EMAIL US
[email protected]
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2023
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - [email protected]

For advertisement- [email protected]