DHAKA, June 22, 2023 (BSS) - The International Labour Organization (ILO) and 
the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) today organised a technical 
dialogue on National Employment Policy and Labour Market Employment 
Challenges in Bangladesh. 

The objective of the technical dialogue was to discuss the critical 
challenges arising from current labour market trends in Bangladesh and to 
explore effective means of addressing those through the National Employment 
Policy (NEP), said a press release. 

Begum Monnujan Sufian, State Minister of Labour and Employment, was present 
as the chief guest. 

She stated that, "'The Ministry of Labour and Employment, together with other 
ministries and stakeholders, will pursue evidence-based policy development 
and targeted interventions to create an enabling environment for decent 
employment opportunities. This initiative will be aligned with the Employment 
Policy developed last year. As part of its implementation the Ministry of 
Labour and Employment is also exploring the establishment of an Employment 
Directorate to coordinate the employment agenda".

At the technical dialogue session, Dr M A Razzaque, Chairman of Research and 
Policy Integration for Development (RAPID), delivered the keynote 
presentation that shed light on the employment policy, context, and labour 
market challenges in Bangladesh. 

He emphasized on mainly the appropriate implementation of the employment 
policy that needs to build the institutional capacity of the ministry of 
labour, focusing on the social protection of the workers in the informal 
economy, analyzing demand-supply gap of high potential sectors for employment 
and counting underemployment as crucial as unemployment.

Tuomo Poutiainen, Country Director for ILO Bangladesh ensured ILO's support 
to the Government of Bangladesh to achieve LDC graduation and vision 2041 by 
implementing the 4th decent work country programme. 

He said, "It is evident that jobs creation, social security, quality of 
employment and international trade are crucial to achieve the goals, but the 
National Employment Policy could be the pivotal tool to pushing employment 
agenda further in connection to achieve the country's vision".

"Promoting the creation of full and productive employment has been an 
integral part of ILO's work in Bangladesh. This is because decent jobs are 
not just any jobs but the basis for peace, social justice, social inclusion, 
economic development, and personal fulfillment" he added.

Dr Md Kawser Ahmed, Member (Secretary) of the General Economics Division 
(GED) mentioned, "The government emphasized on providing industry-relevant 
skills training, promoting entrepreneurship, and creating job opportunities 
that can help to empower the two million new market entrants".

He highlighted that addressing challenges in employment is one of the 
priority areas of government various plans. 

He said, "Implementing the National Employment Policy of Bangladesh is key to 
addressing labour market challenges, promoting inclusion, and driving 
sustainable development. With targeted policies and interventions, we can 
effectively tackle unemployment, skills mismatch, and other pressing issues, 
ultimately improving livelihoods and fostering socioeconomic progress."

Sharifa Khan, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division, noted the need 
for the importance of skilled workers in the post-graduation time to maintain 
competitiveness. 

She said, "LDC graduation brings forth labour market and employment 
consequences, highlighting the need for skilled workers and increased labour 
productivity to enhance competitiveness in exporting high-end products and 
services. This timely technical dialogue on the national employment policy 
aligns with the macroeconomic challenges of Bangladesh, providing valuable 
insights and solutions for the future."

Dr Shahnaz Arefin ndc, Secretary of the Statistics and Informatics Division, 
addressed the importance of labour market intelligence and labour market data 
in formulating and implanting employment policies. 

She said, "Labour market intelligence and data play a crucial role in 
formulating and implementing effective employment policies. As Bangladesh 
strives to achieve SDGs by 2030 and graduate from LDC status by 2026, 
establishing a comprehensive labour market information system (LMIS) becomes 
imperative. This requires resource allocation, interagency coordination, 
private sector engagement, and a robust monitoring system to support 
evidence-based decision-making and ensure effective implementation of 
employment initiatives".