Strategic education policy is key to a job-ready Bangladesh

Bangladesh's higher education sector was once envisioned as a driver of socio-economic progress, but it now faces a troubling paradox: producing too many graduates in certain fields while leaving critical shortages in others. At the core of this dilemma is the absence of a centralised strategic policy, which is required to guide educational institutions on how many graduates to prepare across various specialised disciplines.

The consequences of this imbalance are increasingly evident. In 2022, nearly eight lakh university graduates in Bangladesh remained unemployed, resulting in an unemployment rate of about 12 percent (tertiary)—significantly higher than the national average of approximately 3.5 percent. This widening gap between graduate supply and actual market demand adversely affects individuals and subsequently constrains overall economic growth.

A prominent example of this problem lies in the field of computer science and engineering (CSE). Every year, universities produce approximately 12,000 CSE graduates, while only 5,000 jobs are available. Why do we keep producing more of what we cannot accommodate? More concerningly, employers consistently highlight severe skill gaps, reporting that a significant rate of IT/CSE graduates fail basic competency assessments in crucial areas, such as coding, mathematics and English. This oversupply, coupled with skill mismatches, causes personal hardship for thousands of young graduates, while also diminishing national productivity and competitiveness.

Conversely, significant shortages persist in some other disciplines, particularly in healthcare. Despite graduating large numbers of medical professionals annually, the country still struggles with a pronounced deficit of qualified healthcare workers. We may have more doctors on paper, but rural clinics often go days without one. According to a BMC Human Resources for Health study, the density of doctors, nurses and midwives in Bangladesh was only 9.9 per 10,000 population, well below the indicative sustainable development goals index threshold, underscoring an urgent need for targeted policy interventions.

Students and guardians naturally gravitate towards subjects and career paths perceived to offer the highest immediate market demand and financial security. This preference leads to mass production of graduates in specific disciplines, saturating the job market and significantly reducing employment opportunities for freshers. The University Grants Commission (UGC) introduced a unique student ID system for private universities to regulate student intake, significantly capping the number of students per semester. Yet, challenges remain as universities continue to offer numerous, closely related programmes within the same domain.

Without accurate market forecasts, we would only build skills that lead nowhere. To bridge this gap, we must adopt a systematic, data-driven approach. Comprehensive labour-market analyses should be conducted regularly to forecast workforce requirements, clearly identifying existing skill gaps and areas of oversupply. This process would enable policymakers, educational institutions and industry stakeholders to adapt proactively to changing market dynamics, creating an agile and responsive educational environment.

Strong collaboration among industries, academic institutions and policymakers is equally critical. Establishing advisory committees composed of these stakeholders would facilitate continuous dialogue and rapid decision-making. Additionally, dynamic educational programmes should be promoted, with institutions incentivised to consistently review and realign their curricula based on reliable employment data. This strategic collaboration would significantly enhance the responsiveness and relevance of educational offerings.

For example, the Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), established in 2022, aligns education with the workforce. Replacing the former National Skills Commission, JSA systematically forecasts labour-market demands and identifies skill gaps to guide policymakers and educational institutions. Through its annual Occupation Shortage List (formerly the Skills Priority List), JSA ensures curricula remain agile and relevant. Apart from tracking job trends, it also tells universities exactly what to train for.

Singapore anticipated this challenge with SkillsFuture, its national initiative to track labour trends and build future-ready skills. Its annual Skills Demand for the Future Economy (SDFE) report identifies high-growth job roles and emerging skills across sectors such as digital services, green industries and the care economy. The 2025 edition introduced interactive dashboards, offering real-time, publicly accessible insights to help educators, students, and job seekers make informed decisions based on evolving industry demands.

Bangladesh is not without efforts in workforce planning. The establishment of the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA) is a significant step. It coordinates skills development across ministries and sectors, following the National Action Plan (2022-2027) to align training with workforce needs in areas like ICT, healthcare, construction and RMG. To enhance its impact, NSDA must strengthen collaboration with universities and industries through sector-specific councils, shared labour data and co-developed curricula. This would better align education with market needs and produce a more job-ready workforce.

We stand at a pivotal moment where our education system must evolve—from prioritising quantity to ensuring quality, from chasing trends to embracing future-focused planning. The imbalance between oversupplied graduates and underserved sectors is not inevitable; it is a solvable challenge with coordinated, data-driven action. With the right strategies, Bangladesh can transform its vast human capital into a dynamic, future-ready workforce.


Md Rakib Hasan is director of IT (additional charge) at Southeast University. He can be reached at engr.hasannayan@gmail.com.