BANGLADESH: INCOMES JOBS ELUDE RURAL YOUTH AN INTER PRESS SERVICE FEATURE

• by IPS Correspondents (dhaka)
• Saturday, November 19, 1994
• Inter Press Service

DHAKA, Nov 19 (IPS) - SELIM, 28, A SCIENCE GRADUATE, EKES OUT SEVEN DOLLARS EVERY TWO MONTHS BY DOING BACK-BREAKING MENIAL JOBS IN HIS DISTANT VILLAGE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE REGULAR FORAYS INTO THIS CAPITAL CITY IN SEARCH OF EMPLOYMENT.

EIGHT YEARS OF RIGOROUS TOIL AFTER GRADUATION HAVE BROKEN SELIM'S SPIRIT, BUT HE STILL FINDS IT MANDATORY TO TURN UP FOR JOB INTERVIEWS FOR CLERICAL POSITIONS IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE THAT OFFER A COMFORTABLE SALARY OF 50 DOLLARS A MONTH.

SELIM IS ONLY ONE OF THE HUNDREDS OF UNEMPLOYED YOUTH IN RURAL DINJAPUR DISTRICT SOME 400 KMS FROM HERE. AND DINJAPUR IS INCREASINGLY BECOMING REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL OF RURAL BANGLADESH WHERE JOBS AND INCOMES ARE ELUDING MOST OF THE YOUTH.

WITH A BURGEONING POPULATION AND LIMITED RESOURCES, RURAL BANGLADESH WHERE MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF ITS 120 MILLION PEOPLE RESIDE, HAS NO MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES TO OFFER THE YOUTH IN THE TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURAL SECTOR.

INDUSTRIES, WHICH EMPLOY 6.9 MILLION PEOPLE OR 14 PERCENT OF THE LABOUR FORCE AS AGAINST THE 65 PERCENT EMPLOYED BY THE AGRICULTURAL AND FISHERIES SECTOR, ARE FINDING THE GOING TOUGH BECAUSE OF LACK OF INVESTMENTS, POOR MANAGEMENT, LABOUR UNREST, ERRATIC POWER SUPPLY AND A HOST OF OTHER FACTORS.

IN THE SERVICES SECTOR, PEOPLE LIKE SELIM WITH RURAL BACKGROUNDS ARE FINDING IT INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO COMPETE WITH SOPHISTICATED, URBAN YOUTH WHO HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OVER THEM IN EDUCATION.

SAYS A TEACHER OF THE ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT OF DHAKA UNIVERSITY, "THE RURAL STUDENTS ARE UNABLE TO COMPETE WITH THEIR URBAN COUNTERPARTS BECAUSE OF THE LOW STANDARD OF EDUCATION AND POOR QUALITY OF TEACHING IN RURAL SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES."

OF BANGLADESH'S 23.5 MILLION UNEMPLOYED, 88 PERCENT RESIDE IN THE VILLAGES. AT LEAST 20 MILLION ADDITIONAL PEOPLE WILL ENTER THE LABOUR MARKET BY THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, SAYS A SURVEY SPONSORED BY THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION.

THIS WOULD MEAN A SHARP ESCALATION IN THE NUMBER OF JOBLESS YOUTH IN THE VILLAGES. BANGLADESH'S PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION DESCRIBES THIS SCENARIO AS A POTENTIAL THREAT TO THE COUNTRY'S SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL FABRIC.

ITS ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1992 SAYS THE NUMBERS OF RURAL YOUTH EMPLOYED IN THE SERVICES SECTOR HAS SHRUNK FROM 33 PERCENT IN 1985 TO 25 PERCENT IN 1990. THE RATIO IS LIKELY TO WITNESS A FURTHER DOWNSWING, THE REPORT SAYS.

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