Youth face critical choice as many look beyond borders

On International Youth Day, 
attention turns to the young people of Bangladesh – not for battles fought at home, but for the 
increasing number who see their future elsewhere.

A study by the World Economic Forum reveals that 82% of young Bangladeshis aged 15 to 29 have no plans to live in the country long-term. 
Likewise, the British Council’s Next Generation Bangladesh report finds that 55% of those aged 18-35 want to move abroad, citing concerns about unemployment, corruption, nepotism and the poor quality of education.

Each year, nearly two million new young workers enter the labour market here. Yet only around 200,000 find formal jobs. The rest look beyond the country’s borders, chasing better pay, stability, and dignity in work.

In 2023 alone, 1.3 million Bangladeshis signed contracts to work overseas, a new record. Today, more than 7.4 million Bangladeshis live abroad, sending home over $21.9 billion in remittances, which make up nearly 5% of the nation’s GDP and are a crucial source of income.
But behind these numbers are stories of hardship. 

Many leave not because they want to, but because they have to. Young graduates move from one job interview to the next, their degrees unable to open doors. 
Rural youth watch their farmland disappear under floods or salt, while urban young people see opportunity concentrated in the hands of a few. For many, destinations like the Gulf states, Malaysia, Europe – and sometimes dangerous, unregulated routes – seem to offer the only chance.
Yet migration is far from an easy solution. For every young person who finds success abroad, others face exploitation, unpaid wages or heartbreak on return. Over the past year, more than 86,000 returned with ‘out-pass’ permits – a polite term for those sent home, often with nothing. 

Between mid-2022 and mid-2023, another 100,000 came back, some deported, others escaping broken contracts.
Still, these young returnees bring back more than stories of struggle. They return with skills, determination and resilience – ready to try again, whether overseas or at home.

International Youth Day serves as a reminder of the importance of investing in youth and creating conditions that reduce forced migration, noted astakeholder, adding that despite seminars, statements, and recognition of young people’s energy, the challenge remains to provide adequate opportunities for them to remain in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s youth have historically contributed significantly to the nation’s progress – from defending the mother tongue in 1952 and fighting for independence in 1971 to opposing fascism in 2024. 
Harnessing this same resolve could play a vital role in economic transformation if supported by effective policies, Shariful Islam Hasan, associate director of BRAC Migration Programme and Youth Platform, told the Daily Sun.
“The current challenge is to ensure migration is a choice, not a necessity, by creating an environment where young people can thrive at home while maintaining global connections.” 

International Youth Day highlights the need to convert youth potential into tangible opportunities, ensuring the country matches their aspirations with action, he concluded.
The reporters can be reched at [email protected], [email protected]
Edited by M Munir Hossain