1st Edition
The Labour Market in Bangladesh Emerging Challenges, Future of Work, and Policy Direction
List of Abbreviations
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1 Emerging Issues and Challenges in the Labour Market of Bangladesh
2 Trends in female labour force participation and female employment
3 Determinants of female labour force participation
4 The Paradoxical relationship between education and female employment rate
5 Declining Female Employment in Bangladesh’s RMG Sector
6 Discussion and Policy recommendation
Chapter 3 Beyond Remittances: Migration Governance, Reintegration Policies, and Decent Work
2 Key Features of International Migration
2.1 What drives migration from Bangladesh?
2.2 History, skill and socio-economic profile of international migrants
2.3 Remittance sending channels and the use of remittances
3.1 The procedure of migration
5 The emerging challenges in migration sector
5.1 Climate change and migration challenges
5.2 Fourth Industrial Revolution and migration from Bangladesh
6 Conclusion and Recommendations
Chapter 4 Child Labour Dynamics in Bangladesh: Identifying Causes and Policy Solutions
2 Why are children sent to work? The Economics of Child Labour
3 The extent and nature of Child Labour in Bangladesh
4 The Drivers of Child labour in Rural Bangladesh
5 Conclusion and Policy Recommendation
Appendix 1. The History of Child labor
2 The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Future of Jobs
2.1 The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Future of jobs
3 Are Bangladesh’s Education Policies relevant for labour market demand?
4 Fourth Industrial Revolution Preparedness in Bangladesh: Survey findings
5 Discussion and Policy Recommendation
Appendix 1 The First Three Industrial Revolutions and Changes in the Pattern of Jobs
2 Can Bangladesh Unlock its Demographic Dividend?
3 Trends in Youth Employment, Unemployment and the NEET rate in Bangladesh
4 Causes of persistently high Youth Unemployment in Bangladesh
5 Gender and Regional Differences in Youth Unemployment
6 The paradox between Educational Attainment and Educated Youth Unemployment in Bangladesh
7 Discussion and Policy Recommendation
3 The twin problem of skill gaps and declining female workers in the RMG Sector
4 Cost-competitiveness or Fair Wage?
5 Climate Change, Just Transition, and RMG Workers in Bangladesh
Biography
Farzana Munshi is Professor of Economics, BRAC University, Bangladesh. She obtained her PhD in Economics from the University of Gothenburg, under the Wallander Doctoral Scholarship, in 2008. Her consulting experience covers the International Labour Organization, World Bank, and Japan Economic Foundation.
"Bangladesh appears to be ill-equipped to fully reap the gains from its on-going demographic advantage of increasing proportion of working-age population. The explanation, as succinctly explained in this book, lies in lack of employment-generating growth along with poor labour market outcomes, characterised by informality, gender disadvantage, low skills, and a mismatch of educational attainments with employment needs. Drawing on wide ranging, yet in-depth, analyses of these labour market challenges, the author aptly suggests forward-looking policy guidelines that may be a welcome addition to the literature on the theory and practice of labour economics for less developed countries."
Wahiduddin Mahmud, former Professor of Economics, University of Dhaka, former member of the Caretaker government in charge of the Ministries of Planning and Education, author of Markets, Morals and Development (Routledge, 2022)"Bangladesh’s economic miracle conceals a fragile foundation. This timely volume dissects the labour market fault lines — from chronic youth unemployment and low female participation to child labour and 4IR challenges — that threaten to turn a demographic dividend into a demographic crisis. Grounded in rigorous data and policy analysis, it offers an indispensable roadmap for policymakers, researchers, and development practitioners navigating Bangladesh’s next growth chapter."
KAS Murshid, former DG, BIDS and Head of Task force“The initial spark for the July 2024 student uprising that overthrew a government that had been in power for 17 years was frustration with a lack of job opportunities. Bangladesh experienced tremendous economic growth over the last 30 years, but labor market frictions remain central to the country’s economic prospects and political future. Professor Munshi’s timely book uses rigorous data and economic analysis to explore women’s labor force participation, labor mobility and migrant remittances, and persistent youth unemployment. This is essential reading for any scholar interested in the rich diversity of complex issues that define Bangladesh’s labor market.”
Mushfiq Mobarak, Professor, University of Yale
"Drawing on the latest evidence, Professor Munshi deciphers why Bangladesh’s growth miracle has not generated enough decent, formal jobs. The book maps the country’s most pressing challenges, its narrowing demographic-dividend window, and examines youth unemployment, low female labor force participation, persistent informality, weaknesses in migration governance, child labor, and 4IR-related skills gaps. It concludes with practical, policy-oriented recommendations. A timely and accessible resource for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and students focused on inclusive development of Bangladesh."
Yasuyuki Sawada, Professor of Economics, University of Tokyo, and President-Elect, Japanese Economic Association
"The Bangladeshi economy has grown rapidly over the last few decades, but serious challenges remain. A shortage of skilled workers, high levels of informal sector employment, a high incidence of child labour, and underemployment of workers in agriculture all point to a need for further labour market development. Professor Munshi’s book provides a timely and essential guide to these challenges."
David Fielding, Professor of Development Economics, Global Development Institute, University of Manchester
