A roundtable held in Dhaka on October 26 highlighted the need for coordinated efforts among the government, private sector, training institutions, and development organisations to improve employment opportunities for young people with disabilities in Bangladesh. The event, titled “Skills to Employment: Building an Inclusive Labour Market for Youth with Disabilities,” was co-organised by the Bangladesh Business and Disability Network (BBDN) and BRAC Bank at The Daily Star Centre.

Participants identified multiple barriers that hinder the transition from skills development to secure employment for persons with disabilities, including inaccessible workplaces and transportation, misconceptions among employers, inadequate skills training, poor coordination across agencies, and the absence of reliable employment data.

Shamarukh Fakhruddin, trustee of BBDN, underscored the importance of employer attitudes, questioning whether workplaces are genuinely prepared and supportive for employees with disabilities. She pointed out that even when employers provide transport and adapt facilities, challenges such as inaccessible roads and infrastructure remain significant obstacles, calling for broader governmental involvement. Fakhruddin also stressed that training should extend beyond course completion to include employer consultation, recruitment preparation, and ongoing mentoring.

Addressing concerns about workplace accessibility, accommodation costs, safety, and skill gaps, Joha Jamilur Rahman of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) proposed that chambers of commerce could assist employers by linking them to specialised training providers and advocating for tax incentives to encourage hiring persons with disabilities.

International Labour Organization’s Masreka Khan emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between government bodies, employers, and workers to foster a more inclusive labour market. She advocated for more flexible admission criteria in technical and vocational education and the translation of policies into practical workplace guidelines that support recruitment and retention.

Md Ruhul Amin, chairman of the Bangladesh Technical Education Board, highlighted that students with disabilities receive admission quotas—1 percent in certain diploma programmes and 5 percent in skills development courses—with accommodations like extra examination time and exam scribes provided. The board currently offers diploma programmes in 32 technologies, secondary vocational courses in 29 trades, and short courses in 123 trades, with accessibility considerations being integrated into new facilities.

Nazneen Kawshar Chowdhury, executive chairman of the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA), noted underutilisation of nearly 43 percent of skills training providers due in part to a lack of qualified trainers. She called for a shift from completion-based to competency-based training to better align skills with employer needs. The NSDA aims to train 10,000 trainers by 2030 and is implementing a project in cooperation with Germany that expects to train 3,000 people, with 900 targeted for employment by mid-2027.

Md Abdul Karim, executive director of UCEP Bangladesh, highlighted the organisation’s provision of job training, career counselling, and post-placement support, reporting a 75 percent job placement rate for persons with disabilities. He emphasized the need for employer involvement in curriculum design and workplace accessibility.

Speakers also stressed the lack of reliable, disaggregated data on employment patterns for persons with disabilities as a barrier to effective programme development. Salma Mahbub of Bangladesh Society for the Change and Advocacy Nexus (B-SCAN) urged the collection of such data to better understand economic participation among people with varying disabilities.

BRAC Bank representatives called for training programs tailored to participants’ abilities and employer requirements, alongside improved measurement of employment outcomes. Nazma Ara Begum Poppy of UN Women Bangladesh highlighted additional challenges faced by women with disabilities, including social stigma, restricted mobility, and family constraints.

Officials from BRAC Bank and Bangladesh Bank noted growing interest among commercial banks in supporting youth with disabilities and the development of corporate social responsibility guidelines targeting inclusive employment. The roundtable was moderated by Tanjim Ferdous, head of strategic partnership at The Daily Star, and included contributions from various stakeholders focused on building a more inclusive labour market in Bangladesh.