Unemployment rate of men vs. women in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Unemployment rate of men vs. women was 3.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate of men vs. women in Bangladesh, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate of men vs. women in Bangladesh stood at 3.8%.
The figure is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 23.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate of men vs. women in Bangladesh peaked at 5.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 1991.
That places Bangladesh 120th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate of men vs. women in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.2% | — |
| 1992 | 2.3% | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 2.4% | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 2.4% | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 2.5% | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 2.6% | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 2.8% | +6.0% |
| 1998 | 2.9% | +5.9% |
| 1999 | 3.1% | +5.4% |
| 2000 | 3.3% | +4.7% |
| 2001 | 3.5% | +8.9% |
| 2002 | 3.8% | +8.7% |
| 2003 | 4.2% | +7.9% |
| 2004 | 3.8% | -9.2% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | -11.6% |
| 2006 | 2.6% | -20.6% |
| 2007 | 3.1% | +16.6% |
| 2008 | 3.6% | +15.6% |
| 2009 | 4.1% | +14.5% |
| 2010 | 2.9% | -27.9% |
| 2011 | 3.0% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 3.1% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 3.1% | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 3.1% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 3.1% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 3.1% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | +7.2% |
| 2018 | 3.5% | +7.3% |
| 2019 | 3.8% | +7.0% |
| 2020 | 5.1% | +34.2% |
| 2021 | 5.2% | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 4.4% | -14.7% |
| 2023 | 3.4% | -22.8% |
| 2024 | 3.7% | +9.3% |
| 2025 | 3.8% | +2.7% |
Bangladesh compared with similar countries
- Bangladesh's 3.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.3%, 90% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Bangladesh's 3.8% is below the median for South Asia, which is 4.0%, 95% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.6% | 2.2% | 3.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.5% | 2.6% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | 2.9% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.3% | 3.4% | 5.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
More work & labour data for Bangladesh
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4985 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4763 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5215 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.28 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 117,837 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 84,090 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 104,333 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 104,263 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 208,597 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate of men vs. women in Bangladesh?
- Unemployment rate of men vs. women in Bangladesh was 3.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate of men vs. women recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 5.2% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate of men vs. women recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 1991.
- How does Bangladesh rank for unemployment rate of men vs. women?
- Bangladesh ranks 120th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate of men vs. women rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate of men vs. women. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the male labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.