NEET Youth in Bangladesh: 86 Lakh Neither Work Nor Study

NEET youth in Bangladesh have reached a sobering count. Nearly 86 lakh young people neither work nor study nor train. That is roughly one in five, says the Labour Force Survey 2024. The finding lands on World Youth Skills Day.

What the NEET youth in Bangladesh figures reveal

The survey exposes a widening skills gap. Employers say graduates often lack the abilities they need. Training leans on rote learning and certificates. It rarely tracks the real labour market.

Women carry much of the burden. Many need flexible routes back into work. Low-productivity trades trap others in stagnant pay. The demand side is weak too. High-value technical jobs simply lag graduate numbers.

The overall jobless rate tells part of the story. Unemployment rose to 3.66% in 2024. Educated youth fared worse than many expected. A degree no longer guarantees a steady wage.

Why the demographic dividend is at stake

Bangladesh long counted on its young population as an asset. That dividend now looks fragile. Idle years erode skills and confidence. They also strain families and public services.

Economists urge a sharper focus on demand. The country needs industries that hire skilled workers. It needs training tied to those jobs, not to paperwork.

The gender gap deserves urgent attention. Many young women leave the labour force early. Care duties and thin transport options hold them back. Flexible, safe training could bring millions back in.

Education reform sits at the heart of the fix. Classrooms still reward memory over problem-solving. Employers want digital and technical skills instead. Bridging that gap will take years of steady work.

The clock is not on the country’s side. The youth bulge will not last forever. A shrinking window remains to turn numbers into growth. Delay now means a poorer future later.

Remittances have masked some pressure, as record overseas earnings showed. But exporting labour is not a full answer. A generation still waits for opportunity at home. The Daily Star has the survey detail here.

Fact basis: The Daily Star (15 Jul 2026) The Business Standard Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics — Labour Force Survey 2024