PUBLICATIONS

Female Employment Stagnation in Bangladesh

By Dr. Selim Raihan and Sayema Haque Bidisha

It is now widely accepted that women’s labor market participation improves their relative economic position, and from a broader perspective also stimulates the efficiency and development potential of the economy. However, traditional gender norms and patriarchal values often restrict women’s mobility and constrain their activities in the labor market. Against this backdrop, the objectives of this research are to explore the factors affecting female labor force participation in Bangladesh; to examine the effect of technology and automation on female labor demand at firm level; to explore the opportunities and challenges of expansion of female employment in different potential sectors in the economy; and to offer strategies and policies for the government as well as the private sector on actions that could address the problems identified.