Sangsad Bhaban, Sept 10 (V7N) – The country's total labour force stood at around 71.71 million in 2024, with approximately 69.09 million people employed, Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury told parliament today. The unemployment rate stood at 3.66 percent.
The minister disclosed the figures while replying to a scripted question from ruling party lawmaker from Kishoreganj-2 Advocate Md Jalal Uddin in the Jatiya Sangsad.
According to the Labour Force Survey 2024 conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS):
| Sector | Employment (million) | Share of Total Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | 30.87 | 44.67% |
| Industry | 12.00 | 17.37% |
| Services | 26.22 | 37.96% |
The minister said urban areas had 18.74 million people in the labour force in 2024, of whom 17.92 million were employed. In rural areas, the labour force stood at around 51.17 million.
Around 50.04 million people remained outside the labour force in 2024. Of them, 12.03 million were men and 38.01 million were women.
The latest figures reflect a labour force participation rate of around 58.9 percent, with female participation remaining significantly lower than male participation. The unemployment rate of 3.66 percent is relatively low by international standards, though it masks underemployment and informal sector employment, which account for a large share of the workforce. Agriculture remains the largest employer, though its share has been gradually declining over the years as the economy diversifies. The government has been implementing various skills development and employment generation programmes, including technical training and support for small and medium enterprises, to create more productive employment opportunities.
