73 graduates earn less than Tk 10k per month

About 73% of technical graduates earn less than Tk 10,000 per month as most job opportunities offer poor wages due to lack of skills and mismatch between supply and demand, according to a study by the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

Among graduates, 36 percent get Tk 15,000 to Tk 25,000, while only one percent gets more than Tk 30,000.

CPD revealed the findings at a Government Technical and Vocational Education event in the capital’s Farmgate yesterday.

The survey was conducted on 600 tenured and former technical students from three districts — Panchagarh, Satkhira and Sunamganj — in collaboration with Citizens Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh and Eco-Social Development Organization (ESDO).

Delivering the keynote speech, Towfiqul Islam Khan, senior researcher at CPD, said that initially certified students have to work without pay because their acquired skills do not adequately meet market demand.

Recruiters often express concern about the quality of graduate work, he said.

He also said that degree programs often do not meet the needs of local industries, making it difficult for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) graduates to find suitable employment opportunities.

According to CPD, only 13% of participants believe that the quality of education meets their expectations, while 59% consider it satisfactory.

About 87 percent of current and former students believe that technical education does not meet their expectations, while 67 percent believe that the infrastructure is at an average level, the study found.

CPD Distinguished Fellow Debapriya Bhattacharya called for a partnership-based expert committee to modernize technical education.

“I hope the caretaker government will set up a commission to develop an action plan to create a modern, effective technical and vocational education system,” he said.

He suggested that the government take three months to assess and four months to implement this transformation, providing the necessary funding and guidance in the 2025-26 budget.

Prof. Mustafizur Rahman, another distinguished CPD man, questioned the effectiveness of new investments in technical education unless the existing institutional problems are addressed.

“The employment landscape will change significantly over the next 15 years. We need to prepare the curriculum, trainers and infrastructure accordingly,” he said, adding that basic technical education initiatives should start from the primary level.

“Our resources are limited, but the demand is substantial. It is essential that we allocate resources strategically to have the greatest impact,” he said.

He also emphasized the need for good governance, accountability and transparency.

Mr. Maksudur Rahman, director (PIU) of the Directorate of Technical Education, admitted that only 18 percent of teaching posts in the technical education sector are filled.

“We are working to fill these vacancies through PSC and other means and hope to resolve this issue soon,” he said.

A Matin Chowdhury, former president of UCEP Bangladesh and Bangladesh Textile Mills Association, emphasized that training should lead to employment. “Training is incomplete without securing jobs,” he added.

Mr Ruhul Amin, Secretary of the Ministry of Defense of Expatriates and Overseas Employment, said that the costs of migration are increasing due to middlemen.

He said a policy is underway to bring these middlemen under legal regulation, with a platform launched in December to provide transparent information about job opportunities abroad.

The event was also attended by Mr. Rakib Ullah, Chairman, Bangladesh Technical Education Board, and Rubina Hossain, President, Bangladesh Federation of Women Entrepreneurs, among others.