Bangladesh Unemployment Rate
Unemployment as % of total labor force SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
Bangladesh's unemployment rate was 3.78% in 2025, ranked 64th globally. This represents a 3.9% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Bangladesh's unemployment rate stood at 3.78% in 2025, a rise of +0.14pp from 2024. Bangladesh ranked 64th globally.
Bangladesh’s unemployment rate has risen modestly over the 35‑year series, moving from a trough of 2.20 % in 1991 to an all‑time peak of 5.54 % in 2020 before easing to 3.78 % in 2025, placing the country 64th globally. The post‑pandemic rebound in 2020 reflected disruptions in labor‑intensive sectors such as garment manufacturing, while the subsequent decline aligns with a recovery in export demand and expanded informal employment. Compared with peers of similar rank, Bangladesh’s rate is marginally higher than Malaysia’s 3.76 % and slightly lower than the Netherlands’ 3.87 %, suggesting a competitive labor market within its income group. The downward movement from the 2020 peak indicates resilience, yet the rate remains above the 1991 trough, highlighting structural challenges in job creation and skill mismatches. Continued investment in vocational training and diversification of the industrial base could further compress unemployment, steering the trajectory toward lower levels in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Unemployment Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.78% | +0.14pp | #64 |
| 2024 | 3.64% | +0.28pp | #64 |
| 2023 | 3.35% | −1.24pp | #52 |
| 2022 | 4.59% | −0.86pp | #83 |
| 2021 | 5.46% | −0.08pp | #87 |
| 2020 | 5.54% | +1.04pp | #78 |
| 2019 | 4.50% | +0.06pp | #75 |
| 2018 | 4.44% | +0.07pp | #74 |
| 2017 | 4.37% | +0.02pp | #67 |
| 2016 | 4.35% | −0.05pp | #60 |
| 2015 | 4.40% | −0.02pp | #60 |
| 2014 | 4.42% | −0.01pp | #61 |
| 2013 | 4.43% | +0.36pp | #64 |
| 2012 | 4.07% | +0.33pp | #59 |
| 2011 | 3.74% | +0.36pp | #47 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Bangladesh matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2020. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Bangladesh's unemployment rate was 3.78% in 2025. Ranked 64th globally. This represents a 3.9% increase from the previous year.
Bangladesh's unemployment rate peaked at 5.54% in 2020.
The lowest unemployment rate in Bangladesh was 2.20% in 1991.
Bangladesh ranks 64th globally in unemployment rate as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
The unemployment rate of Bangladesh in 2025 was 3.78%. This ranks 64th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_bangladesh_unemployment-rate,
title = {Bangladesh Unemployment Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/bangladesh/unemployment-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}