World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
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Labour · South Asia · Lower-middle income

Bangladesh: the labour market

Labour force is 74.7m (2025), 8th of 187 in the world and 2nd of 6 in South Asia. Participation rate is 58.8% (2025), 113th of 187 in the world and 3rd of 6 in South Asia. Women's participation is 38.6% (2025), 154th of 187 in the world and 3rd of 6 in South Asia.

Labour force74.7m2025 · world 8/187 · region 2/6Participation rate58.8%2025 · world 113/187 · region 3/6Women's participation38.6%2025 · world 154/187 · region 3/6Employment rate56.6%2025 · world 102/187 · region 3/6
Labour force
Bangladesh
020.0m40.0m60.0m80.0m1995200020052010201520202025Bangladesh74.7m
Participation rate
BangladeshSouth AsiaLower-middle incomeWorld
50%55%60%65%1995200020052010201520202025Bangladesh58.8%South AsiaLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Bangladesh in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within South Asia; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total74.7m20258/1872/649.0m58.8m70.3m+21%since 2015710m1.2bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+58.8%2025113/1873/658.2%58.6%59.8%+2.3 ppsince 201555.6%58.2%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+38.6%2025154/1873/628.7%35.7%40.3%+5.1 ppsince 201533.0%39.2%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)56.6%2025102/1873/656.3%56.6%56.5%+2.6 ppsince 201553.2%55.6%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)3.8%2025123/1875/63.3%3.4%5.5%−0.6 ppsince 20154.2%4.5%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)3.7%2025135/1876/63.3%4.3%6.4%−3.6 ppsince 20154.2%4.9%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)9.4%2025124/1876/69.7%6.3%13.5%−1.2 ppsince 201515.4%13.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %15.4%2024101/1705/6·30.1%15.0%2022−16.6 ppsince 201325.5%21.8%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment39.0%2025143/1873/633.6%37.7%38.5%+0.1 ppsince 201526.9%29.6%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)57.3%202545/1874/666.2%62.1%57.4%−0.6 ppsince 201569.7%65.5%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment44.3%202533/1871/667.6%47.6%42.5%+0.7 ppsince 201541.5%39.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment18.0%2025110/1874/613.1%19.7%19.0%−2.4 ppsince 201525.1%22.4%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment37.7%2025161/1875/619.3%32.7%38.5%+1.7 ppsince 201533.4%37.8%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

No rated indicator got worse over the decade.

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Bangladesh and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Bangladesh. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorBangladeshIndiaMyanmar
Labour force74.7m2025618m202522.9m2025
Participation rate58.8%202555.7%202555.1%2025
Women's participation38.6%202532.4%202540.9%2025
Employment rate56.6%202553.3%202553.4%2025
Unemployment3.8%20254.2%20253.0%2025
Female unemployment3.7%20254.1%20253.5%2025
Youth unemployment9.4%202516.0%20259.8%2025
Youth NEET rate15.4%202425.6%202515.0%2020
Wage workers39.0%202525.1%202534.5%2025
India: labourMyanmar: labour
Labour in South Asiaall 6 economies rankedLabour: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesBangladesh: all key statisticscountry profile