DHAKA, Sept 1, 2026 (BSS) — Young workers in Bangladesh need sector-specific support, including cash assistance, skills training and job-placement services, rather than one-size-fits-all policies or relocation grants to navigate the country’s transition towards a greener and more inclusive economy, according to a new study.

The study, conducted by ActionAid Bangladesh and the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM), was unveiled at a dissemination event in the city today, said a press release.

It found that the nature of employment and place of residence are among the strongest factors determining whether young people can access decent and secure jobs.

Young workers in the ready-made garment (RMG), agriculture and construction sectors have considerably better prospects for secure employment than those in the transport sector, with RMG workers enjoying the strongest advantage.

However, many RMG workers still reported employment insecurity despite the sector’s relatively stronger performance, the study said.

It also found that living in climate-vulnerable areas exposed to cyclones, salinity and flooding further reduces young people’s employment prospects, irrespective of their gender or sector of employment.

Bangladesh contributes less than 0.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions but ranks seventh on the Global Climate Risk Index, while its economy remains heavily dependent on climate-vulnerable and carbon-intensive sectors.

The RMG sector employs around four million workers and accounts for more than 80 percent of the country’s export earnings, while agriculture employs around 41 percent of the workforce, making young workers in these sectors particularly exposed to the challenges of the transition.

The study found that automation is displacing fewer jobs in the RMG sector than is commonly assumed. It also highlighted significant vulnerabilities among construction workers, who have almost no wage or injury protection.

Another major concern is the absence of a reliable national database of informal workers, making it difficult to properly identify and target those requiring support.

The study said young workers clearly identified cash assistance, skills development and job-placement support as their key priorities, while relocation grants and startup capital were considered less important.

However, priorities differed considerably across sectors. Construction workers preferred cash support, while RMG and transport workers placed greater emphasis on job-placement assistance. Agricultural workers preferred a combination of cash assistance and skills training.

Trust in institutions also varied by sector. Farmers relied most on the government, while RMG and construction workers placed greater trust in their employers. Transport workers, meanwhile, relied more on their unions.

The findings, therefore, call for tailored outreach and support mechanisms rather than a single national approach to Bangladesh’s just transition, the study said.

“Young people are disproportionately exposed to the risks of this transition, but they are also the generation best placed to drive Bangladesh toward a more sustainable and inclusive economy,” said SANEM Programme Director Zubayer Hossen.

“That is why we built this evidence base specifically around them,” he added.

SANEM Executive Director and University of Dhaka Professor of Economics Dr Selim Raihan said just transition had become both a global and national priority, particularly for Bangladesh because of its economic structure and heavy reliance on climate-vulnerable sectors.

“The evidence argues against one-size-fits-all solutions,” said SANEM Research Economist Farhan Khan, who presented the findings alongside Hossen.

“What young workers need differs by sector, and they should have a genuine seat at the table in designing these responses, not simply be recipients of programmes designed for them,” he added.

The research was based on field and online surveys, 14 key informant interviews and participatory workshops involving 625 young workers across nine districts representing coastal, riverine and urban areas.

The districts were selected to reflect Bangladesh’s diverse climate-vulnerable contexts.

Government officials, employers’ associations and civil society representatives discussed the findings at the dissemination event.

Participants called for national skills training programmes to be mapped against emerging and declining jobs and urged better inclusion of informal workers in official databases.

They also recommended including polytechnic students and occupationally marginalised groups in future rounds of research.

“Training alone is not enough if it isn't linked to real jobs,” said ActionAid Bangladesh Country Director Farah Kabir, who chaired the event.

“We need vocational training that is genuinely useful to employers, stronger social protection for informal and construction workers, and young people meaningfully involved in shaping the transition, not just supported through it,” she added.