Author: Md. Jasim Uddin
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.70798/Bijmrd/04100004
Abstract: Youth unemployment remains a major challenge to economic development, human capital utilization, and inclusive growth in Bangladesh. Despite the growing number of young people entering the labour market, the economy continues to face difficulties in generating sufficient productive, stable, and quality employment opportunities. Educational mismatches, shortages of technical skills, limited entrepreneurial financing, and regional inequalities further complicate this challenge. This study examines the potential of digital entrepreneurship and the startup ecosystem to address youth unemployment in Bangladesh, focusing on emerging opportunities, structural constraints, and policy priorities. It adopts a qualitative, descriptive, and analytical approach based on secondary data, drawing on relevant academic literature, policy documents, and reports from the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Bank, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), and startup-sector sources. The analysis covers ecommerce, social media-based commerce, financial technology (fintech), educational technology (edtech), agricultural technology (agritech), digital professional services, and technology-enabled logistics. According to the ILO (2024), citing the Bangladesh Labour Force Survey 2022, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15–29 was 8%, compared with 27.8% among highly educated people and 32.6% among highly educated women. Startup investment reports also indicate fluctuations in formal startup financing, highlighting the importance of access to capital and investor confidence. The findings suggest that digital entrepreneurship can reduce certain barriers to market entry, diversify business models, expand selfemployment, and improve market access for small enterprises. However, unequal digital access, financing gaps, skills mismatches, weak business management, cybersecurity risks, and informality may constrain these benefits. The study argues that digital entrepreneurship should complement broader policies on skills development, accessible finance, digital infrastructure, market linkages, supportive regulation, and decent work. An integrated and inclusive startup ecosystem is therefore essential for translating digital business opportunities into sustainable livelihoods and productive employment for young people in Bangladesh.
Keywords: Digital Entrepreneurship; Startup Ecosystem; Youth Unemployment; Self-Employment; Digital Economy; Job Creation; Bangladesh.
Page No: 29-49