Budget is not just about income and expenditure. It's a prescription for the country's economy too. When taxes are fixed in the budget, each and every citizen of the country has to pay, directly or indirectly. So it is necessary to get an account of what they'll get out of the budget.
Corruption and unemployment are the two main problems of Bangladesh. If corruption decreases, economic development will accelerate. Employment will increase. But the government policymakers are more oriented towards growth than employment. So while mega infrastructure sprouts up all over the country, unemployment does not lessen.
Coming to power in 2009, Awami League claimed that employment would be in abundance. Former finance minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhit came up with a 100-day job creation programme too. Riddled with all sorts of flaws, the programme never took off. Now there's no more talk of jobs for all.
The finance minister budget speech on Thursday was a disappointment. Like his predecessors, he too made way for the whitening of black money.
He did not speak of any tangible measures to rein in corruption. Corruption has a mysterious link with unemployment. Trade and commerce flourishes in countries where corruption is low. Employment increases.
BIDS research shows that 66 per cent of those with Masters degrees from the National University, are unemployed. Another study on them shows that 33.32 per cent of educated youth are completely unemployed
The figures on unemployment recorded by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) is not just unbelievable, but ridiculous. According to BBS, the number of unemployed persons in the country is 2.59 million. The average number of unemployed at the end of 2023 was 2.47 million.
BIDS research shows that 66 per cent of those with Masters degrees from the National University, are unemployed. Another study on them shows that 33.32 per cent of educated youth are completely unemployed.
A report of Banik Barta highlights the appalling picture of unemployment of Bangladesh's educated youth. Bangladesh Railway appointed 2,172 persons to the post of wayman in two phases. All of them had Masters degrees though the requirement was just SSC. They concealed their actual educational qualifications just to get the job. Railway officials said that many of them after joining as wayman recently, left their jobs too.
The sad story of a woman was published in Prothom Alo online on the very same day that the budget was announced.
Seema Akhter of Sirajganj Sadar upazila went by illegal route to India in 2022 through a middleman, in search of employment. She had been promised a job in a beauty salon. She has caught by the law enforcement on the way to Bengalaru and was jailed for two year for illegal entry. It was only after and two and a half years, with the help of Bangladesh's deputy high commissioner in Agartala, that she managed to return home to her family and children. Many are not so lucky.
Thousands and thousands of young men and women fall prey to such 'agents', go abroad and live insufferable lives, simply because there do not find jobs here.
Only recently a report on Malaysia-bound workers created a sensation. After the Malaysian labour market closed down for the third time, the country decided that to would take a few hundred thousand workers from Bangladesh. But even after getting their visas and work permits, a 17,000 workers could not go. We have earned so much competence that we cannot send workers abroad in the scheduled time. These young men each paid over Tk 500,000 to the so called agencies.
As always, this time too the finance minister's budget speech had no good news for the unemployed. There are 375,000 vacant posts in the public administration right now. Rather than all this fuss over quota, the government should simply fill these 375,000 vacancies without further delay
At a point of time when there is such a dearth of jobs in the country, the court declared that the decision to cancel the freedom fighter quota in government jobs was unlawful. This ruling was yet another factor to frustrate meritorious youth.
The quota reforms movement in 2018 did not call to abolish quotas entirely. The demonstrators said that the quotas must be justified, the meritorious candidates should get opportunity. But the government just abolished all quotas, curtailing job opportunities for women, disabled and marginalised people.
The quota system was abolished for first and second class officer recruitment. The quota system is still in place for the lower level of employees.
In many countries an unemployment allowance is paid to the unemployed until they get jobs. But in our country, the government neither has the means nor the will to do so.
As always, this time too the finance minister's budget speech had no good news for the unemployed. There are 375,000 vacant posts in the public administration right now. Rather than all this fuss over quota, the government should simply fill these 375,000 vacancies without further delay. Many unemployed persons would then finally get jobs.
* Sohrab Hassan is joint editor of Prothom Alo and a poet
* This column appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten for the English edition by Ayesha Kabir