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National Youth Day marked amid growing graduate unemployment crisis
Published : Sunday, 1 November, 2026 at 7:58 AM
Observer Online Report
Collected Photo
Despite a steady rise in the number of university graduates across Bangladesh, job opportunities have failed to keep pace, leaving a vast portion of the educated youth grappling with severe unemployment.
According to research published in the September 2026 issue of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Finance & Development magazine, 36 out of every 100 highly educated Bangladeshi youths—aged 15 to 24 with postsecondary qualifications—remain unemployed.
Official national statistics corroborate this trend, showing that secondary school graduates face lower unemployment rates than university degree holders, confirming that higher education levels in Bangladesh currently correlate with higher rates of joblessness.
National Youth Day Observed Ahead of Time
Against this grim economic backdrop, National Youth Day 2026 was observed across the country under the theme "Skilled Youth Will Build the Nation, Bangladesh for All." The Ministry of Youth and Sports organized various programs to mark the occasion, featuring official messages from top state dignitaries.
In a issued message, President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir described an organized, skilled, and committed youth force as the nation's most valuable asset, stressing the urgent need for collective initiatives to ensure quality education, modern technological skills, and sustainable employment.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman highlighted the youth as the central driving force of national progress, acknowledging their historic contributions to achieving independence, tackling national crises, and driving economic development.
At a press conference preceding the event, State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Haque announced that four youth organizers and 10 successful self-reliant individuals would receive the National Youth Award, with the main inaugural ceremony hosted at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center.
To address unemployment directly, a job fair featuring 55 companies was arranged with the objective of creating 3,000 to 5,000 employment opportunities, Alongside nationwide drives to install 12,000 eco-friendly biogas plants, expand skills training, and disburse youth loans.
Widening Deficit Between Job Seekers and Market Needs
Data from the World Bank indicates that over the past decade, nearly 1.4 crore young people entered the country's labor market, whereas only 87 lakh jobs were created during the same period.
Furthermore, strategic documents from the General Economics Division (GED) reveal that approximately 55 lakh youths aged 15 to 24 are currently Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET).
A recent study by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) examining data from Bdjobs.com revealed that an average of 287 applicants now compete for every single vacant position—a 66 per cent surge in competition compared to pre-pandemic figures.
Bangladesh also lags in creating market-aligned graduates; the QS World Future Skills Index 2025 ranks Bangladesh 67th out of 81 countries in its ability to produce graduates equipped with employer-demanded skill sets.
With global technological shifts and artificial intelligence (AI) expected to displace entry-level roles further, experts emphasize that failing to upgrade the skills of the nation's youth risks squandering Bangladesh's demographic dividend.
-SA
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Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, 01550707296
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]. [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], Online-email: [email protected]
