Since completing an MA in Philosophy at Brajamohan College under the National University in 2024, Nahidul Islam from Barishal has been searching for a job.
Besides applying for government posts, he has submitted his curriculum vitae for various private-sector positions and attended several interviews.
His experience has left him with the impression that, although philosophy is an important academic discipline, it has little demand in the job market.
Nahidul’s story is far from unique. Like him, thousands of graduates are struggling to secure employment after choosing subjects with limited market demand.
Public universities and government colleges affiliated with the National University continue to produce large numbers of graduates from such disciplines, yet there is little assessment of how many graduates the country actually needs in different fields. At the same time, the higher education system faces several other structural challenges.
Against this backdrop, Bangladesh is observing “World Youth Skills Day” today.
Asked whether policymakers consult industry leaders to assess future workforce requirements, Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) President Abdul Haque said he has long advocated closer collaboration between academia and industry, but no meaningful initiative has yet been taken.
“Our education system is certificate-based, and the country is filled with unnecessary universities and subjects. Thousands of BBA graduates and madrasa students are entering the job market every year, but there is no institutional effort to assess the demand for graduates in specific disciplines. We are walking blindly without knowing our destination,” he told the Media.
“It is better late than never,” said Haque, also a six-time director of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and former president of the Japan-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JBCCI), adding that the country needs a comprehensive overhaul to address the aspirations of its young people.
“There must be change. We need a paradigm shift. Otherwise, we will continue to fall behind other nations and frustrate our young people, who are eager to seize opportunities with their talent and dedication,” he added.
The lack of coordination between the education system and industry has contributed to a shortage of skilled manpower while unemployment among educated young people continues to rise.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics’ (BBS) Labour Force Survey conducted in September last year, Bangladesh had 2.624 million unemployed people in 2024, including 885,000 university graduates.
The survey also found that one in three university graduates remains unemployed for up to two years.
A separate survey conducted by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) in December last year found that around 66% of National University graduates are partially unemployed or underemployed.
While many local graduates struggle to find work, Bangladesh had 20,988 foreign nationals from 115 countries working with valid permits and visas, according to information placed in Parliament in June 2023.
Although the government does not publish official figures on the amount remitted abroad by these workers, economists at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and the Policy Research Institute (PRI) estimate that between US$3 billion and US$5 billion leaves the country annually through salaries, profit repatriation, royalties and other legitimate outward payments.
Why this situation persists and how it can be addressed remain pressing questions for education experts.
Professor Emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury of the University of Dhaka said most students have become examinees rather than learners.
“Universities are supposed to create new knowledge, but universities in Bangladesh are reluctant to invest in research. Instead of modernising outdated curricula, they focus on completing courses and issuing certificates. As a result, our inadequate higher education system is heading towards an uncertain future,” he said.
Stressing the need for strong political commitment, he said higher education must become more practical and relevant. “I do not know why we place so much emphasis on general education. We must give greater importance to science and technical education. Budgetary allocation for education must also be increased. If we allocate 25% of the national budget and invest 6% of GDP in education, only then can we expect meaningful change,” he added.