Experts warn demographic dividend could become burden
Youth Skills Key to Bangladesh's Future
- One in four youths unemployed
- 40% remain outside education or training
- Skills reform seen as national priority
Bangladesh must urgently invest in technology-driven skills development and workforce readiness or risk turning its demographic dividend into a demographic burden, Prime Minister's Adviser on Finance and Planning Professor Dr. Rashid Al Mahmud Titumir has warned.
Speaking as the chief guest at a discussion marking World Youth Skills Day 2026, organized by the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA) at the Investment Building in Dhaka, he said sustainable economic growth will depend on equipping young people with industry-relevant technical and digital skills.
The event was attended by State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Nurul Haque Nur, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister ABM Abdus Sattar, National Human Resource Development Fund Managing Director and CEO Md. Touhidur Rahman, while NSDA Executive Chairman Dr. Naznin Kawsar Chowdhury chaired the session.
Alarming youth employment indicators
Dr. Titumir noted that one in every four young Bangladeshis is unemployed. He added that 40 percent of people aged 15 to 24 are not engaged in education, employment or training, while the figure rises to nearly 60 percent for young women, posing a major challenge to human capital development.
Reforming education for future jobs
He said the government is modernizing curricula, expanding Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) from the sixth grade onward and aligning training programs with domestic and international labor market demands.
The adviser emphasized multilingual skills, industry-oriented training and stronger technical education as essential components of Bangladesh's future workforce strategy.
Targeting a $1 trillion economy
According to Dr. Titumir, the government's vision is to build a $1 trillion economy by 2034 while creating at least 10 million jobs. Achieving that goal will require skilled human resources, greater female labor force participation, expanded overseas employment opportunities and continued reforms in workforce development.
Greater private sector participation
State Minister Nurul Haque Nur said the government is strengthening NSDA's activities and called on the private sector to play a more active role in skills development.
He announced that the infrastructure of 110 government Technical Training Centers (TTCs) would be made available for private-sector use. Bangladesh is also preparing skilled workers based on demand from countries including Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Last year, 167,000 people received training through institutions under the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET).
Experts at the event said that as artificial intelligence, automation and the digital economy reshape global labor markets, Bangladesh must prioritize digital skills, technical education and lifelong learning to remain competitive.
//DBTech/MFI/SME//
