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IMF: 36 out of 100 educated youth unemployed in BD

Published : Tuesday, 22 September, 2026 at 10:04 AM

Observer Online Report

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Nearly 36 per cent of highly educated Bangladeshi youth aged 15 to 24 remain unemployed despite entering the job market, according to a recent analysis by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The report indicates that approximately 36 out of every 100 educated young individuals in Bangladesh cannot secure employment, highlighting a severe skill mismatch between academic qualifications and labor market demands.

The figures were published in the September 2026 issue of the IMF's Finance & Development magazine, which evaluated youth employment trends across Asian nations.

South Asian countries face significant pressure regarding graduate unemployment, with Sri Lanka recording nearly 43 per cent and India exceeding 40 per cent. Conversely, Southeast Asian nations reported lower rates, including Indonesia at 18 per cent, Vietnam at 16 per cent, Malaysia and Thailand at 13 per cent, and Singapore at 8 per cent.

Analyzing Bangladesh's 2024 Labor Force Survey, the IMF noted that while overall youth unemployment stood at 8.49 per cent, the unemployment rate among tertiary-educated youth reached approximately 25 per cent in recent years.

The IMF described the crisis as a "graduate glut," where the supply of degree holders outpaces the creation of high-productivity professional jobs. Consequently, many educated individuals remain jobless or accept underemployed roles below their qualifications.

Krishna Srinivasan, Director of the IMF's Asia and Pacific Department, stated that educated youth struggle to find matching roles, emphasizing the need for better alignment between university curricula and employer requirements.

The report also cautioned that expanding artificial intelligence (AI) adoption poses additional challenges for entry-level positions in animation, software engineering, and administration, urging increased investment in reskilling and skill development.

-SA

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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury

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