BBS conducts country’s first labour demand survey

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) is conducting the country’s first Labour Demand Survey 2025 to generate demand-side labour data and guide employment, training and skills development policies. The data are now being processed, with findings expected by June.

“We are now processing the data. Once completed, the much-anticipated findings will be unveiled by June,” said a senior BBS official involved with the survey.

The survey, conducted in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), covered 2,000 industrial establishments nationwide -- each employing more than 10 workers -- between October and November last year.

For decades, labour market analysis in Bangladesh has focused mainly on supply-side data, including workforce characteristics, employment status and unemployment rates.

However, policymakers and industry leaders have long pointed out the absence of systematic data on employers’ actual needs in skills, occupations and workforce planning. The new survey aims to address this data gap.

KEY SECTORS AND SCOPE

The survey will generate detailed statistics on labour demand across seven priority sectors: textiles; ready-made garments (RMG); leather and leather products; pharmaceuticals; accommodation and food services; information and communication technology (ICT); and financial and insurance activities.

The RMG industry, the country’s largest export earner, employs millions and plays a key role in industrial growth.

Textiles and leather have strong backward linkages, while pharmaceuticals have emerged as a high-performing, export-oriented sector.

ICT and financial services reflect the expanding services economy and are boosting demand for higher-skilled, technology-driven jobs. Accommodation and food services highlight the growing impact of urbanisation, domestic consumption and tourism-related activities.

According to BBS officials, the survey will measure labour demand by sector, occupation and gender, and assess vacancies by industry, occupation and firm size to identify shortage areas. It will also identify high-growth and declining sectors to guide policy decisions and targeted investments.

The survey aims to map the qualifications, certifications and skills -- including technical, digital and soft skills -- that employers require, helping align workforce development with market needs. By highlighting gaps between available and required skills, it will support training and upskilling initiatives to strengthen workforce competitiveness.

The exercise will analyse workforce composition and demographics, including age, gender, occupation and firm characteristics, to better understand labour market structures.

It will also examine recruitment practices, preferred hiring channels and barriers to hiring, and identify hard-to-fill positions along with the causes, such as skills mismatches, limited labour supply or unsuitable job conditions.

Using data from 2023 to 2025 and sectoral trends, the survey will produce labour demand forecasts for 2026 to support forward-looking workforce and policy planning.

EXPERT WELCOMES INITIATIVE

“This is a very timely initiative,” said Sayema Haque Bidisha, a professor of economics at the University of Dhaka.

She said labour market analysis in Bangladesh has traditionally focused on the supply side -- how many people are entering the workforce, their education levels and demographic characteristics -- but without strong demand-side data, the picture remains incomplete.

She added that with youth unemployment rising and limited capacity in the economy to absorb workers, it is crucial to understand which sectors are creating jobs and what skills employers actually need.

“Our education-to-employment system must be guided by credible demand assessments; otherwise, we risk a growing mismatch between graduates and available jobs,” she said.

Bidisha argued that a comprehensive demand-side survey, rather than studies of just a few sectors, would identify not only current vacancies but also emerging trends in automation, digitalisation, and sectoral shifts.

“This forward-looking information is essential for aligning human capital development with the country’s long-term growth strategy,” she said.