An Analysis of Division-Wise Employment Patterns in Bangladesh
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AN ANALYSIS OF DIVISION-WISE EMPLOYMENT PATTERNS IN BANGLADESH: DECENT WORK PERSPECTIVE An Analysis of Division-wise Employment Patterns in Bangladesh: Decent Work Perspective Md. Mamin Ullah* Department of Management Studies, University of Barisal, Barisal, Bangladesh ABSTRACT The growing global concern for labor rights and human dignity has led the development of notion of decent work. However, the countries’ readiness to adopt this decent work agenda into national policies is in debates and discussions among the labor economists and researchers. The objective of this paper is to analyze division-wise employment patterns in Bangladesh from decent work perspective. This policy based study has incorporated a comparative analysis of different dimensions of employment of different divisions in Bangladesh based on available data. Related research articles, journals, monographs, books, strategic papers, and publications of national and international labor organizations were critically reviewed. The study has found that despite a significant progress in human development and economic growth, still a significant division-wise variation is found in terms of labor force participation, NEET, informal employment, status in employment, and labor migration in Bangladesh. An integrated national policy dealing with the customized labor strategies for different divisions is supposed to be effective for attaining decent work objectives in Bangladesh. Policy options and research agenda are outlined. Keywords: Decent work, employment, division-wise employment, employment in Bangladesh 1. INTRODUCTION As a result, the role of ILO has been evaluated in building a future that promotes human development leading to 1.1 Background sustainability. Globalization has been appreciated for creating economic Bangladesh has made significant progress in recent years opportunities, but it is also being criticized for contributing in terms of economic growth despite the worldwide to “social inequalities and personal insecurities” [1]. financial crisis. Moreover, her achievement in attaining Economic transformations due to globalization have led some targets of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the flexible labor relations and turmoil labor market is notable. This country is blessed with 106.1 million structures across countries. Employment is now featured working age people [6]. Nonetheless, the employment with inadequate income, gender inequality, excessive work rate has not increased in comparison with her economic load, job insecurity, and poor working conditions [2]. The achievements. There are, for instance, 44.0 million most productive workers are also being affected due to this people who are outside the labor force. In addition, the situation [3]. The existence of precarious employment has regional employment characteristics vary at a large extent added an additional feature to this volatile employment in this country. Different demographic characteristics relationship. The world thus has seen a new redistribution and traditional social structures across the regions have of power with different levels and forms of exploitation become important inputs of labor market in Bangladesh. due to the changes in relationships between work and It is therefore a crying need to justify the employment capital [4]. Considering this context of degradation of characteristics in Bangladesh compared to the desired labor market, International Labor Organization (ILO) objectives of ILO’s decent work agenda. This paper introduced decent work paradigm with an intention to critically analyzes the employment characteristics of establish social justice in the world. Decent work is a different divisions in Bangladesh from decent work people-centered approach aimed at promoting labor perspective along with an attempt to provide policy dignity and work-life balance [5]. Decent work focuses options to promote decent work. on job creation as a key to economic development along with an emphasis on both quantity and quality of work. This paper is organized into five logical sections. Section 1 provides the research background and justification along However, different institutional settings and countries’ with a short note on adopted methodology. Section 2 demographic profiles challenge this noble vision of ILO. presents a review of contemporary studies on decent work. *Corresponding author’s email: [email protected] DUET Journal 83 Volume 4, Issue 1, December 2018 AN ANALYSIS OF DIVISION-WISE EMPLOYMENT PATTERNS IN BANGLADESH: DECENT WORK PERSPECTIVE Section 3 summarizes the concept and objectives of decent 1.3 Methodology work agenda. Section 4 is the substantive and longest part of the paper dealing with a division-wise analysis of The methodology of this policy research consists of a employment characteristics in Bangladesh from decent mixed approach of both exploratory and descriptive work perspective. Finally, section 5 concludes the paper research. This study is exploratory as it aims to explore along with a set of policy options and research agenda. the comparative employment characteristics of different divisions in Bangladesh. Again, the study is descriptive 1.2 Rationale and Purpose because it describes the different dimensions of employment from decent work objectives. The data What is the overall labor force structure in Bangladesh? were collected from secondary sources. The relevant What is the level of decent work status in Bangladesh? working papers, journals, e-books, articles, strategic Why decent work agenda is important for an emerging papers, monographs, and the publications of national economy like Bangladesh? What is the degree of and international labor organizations were collected country’s readiness to adopt decent work agenda in and studied in pursuit of the objectives of the study. A national labor policies? What are the key characteristics of critical review is important when the field of research is employment patterns in Bangladesh? Are the employment comparatively new and an attempt is made to integrate the patterns in all divisions are more or less common? Is there different dimensions of the topic [7]. The most important any variation between divisions in this case? Is there any sources for analyzing employment characteristics were the gender inequality in employment in Bangladesh? What is Quarterly Labor Force Survey (2015-2016) of Bangladesh the current status of Bangladesh in comparison with other Bureau of Statistics and ILOSTAT, the official statistical countries regarding employment and its dimensions? database of ILO. In addition, the websites and databases of What are the best possible options to foster employment reputed organizations like UNDP, World Bank, European in Bangladesh as per decent work agenda? What are the Union, and OPEC were given importance during data research gap areas in employment in Bangladesh? The collection. For the ease of discussion and comparison, data answers of these questions lay down the foundation of the of some selected countries of different economic regions rationale of this study. of the world were presented. Uniformity of presentation was maintained throughout the paper for the consistent Bangladesh is the second largest growing economy in the analysis and easy readability. Since data availability for world with an average GDP growth rate of 6.5%. There are different economic regions vary, latest statistics were more than 106.1 million working age people in Bangladesh taken into account along with the indication of years. [6]. Accordingly, the prospect for utilizing these vast human resources in attaining economic development is relatively higher in comparison with other developing 2. LITERATURE REVIEW economies. A well planned manpower policy based on the decent work agenda is a prerequisite to establish social Since the inception of decent work agenda in 1999, a justice in this country in addition to economic growth. substantive number of studies have been conducted Surprisingly, a very few studies focused on this important (e.g., [8]; [9]; [10]) and still now the scope of research aspect of the economy. Most of the works remain at the is being augmented. However, the decent work agenda is round-table discussions. The analysis of employment not a finished project [11]. The research works on decent patterns from decent work perspective is not focused work and the concept itself have been criticized at a till now. The researchers, academics, think tanks, and large extent [12]. The ILO has been working to establish policy makers are in need of having a comparative study social justice in this world that will promote labor dignity focusing on this research gap. This study aims at exploring and quality of life. In this respect, it introduced the term the division-wise employment patterns in Bangladesh ‘decent work’ in 1999 [13]. However, the concept of from decent work perspective. More specifically, the dignity is contradictory to decency. Dignity is linked to objectives of this policy study are: (1) to analyze the employment patterns of different divisions in Bangladesh; a human rights agenda. Decency, on the other hand, is linked to the principles of work [14]. Rodgers [15] stated (2) to compare and contrast the employment facts based that the word ‘decent’ in the concept of ‘decent work’ on decent work agenda; (3) to review the contemporary means the work should satisfy social norms in terms of studies on decent work with special focus on employment income, security, conditions, rights, and