The number of unemployed people in Bangladesh is only three percent of the total population, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Wednesday.

She provided the figure matter  while speaking at a programme in observance of the Great May Day at Bangabandhu International Conference Center.

She said that the unemployment rate has decreased due to the government's various initiatives for the expansion of education and jobs.

“We are giving free books and we are also providing technical education and vocational training to enabling youth of the country competent  for employment,” she said. 

Hasina said that the government has opened up the private sector on a large scale to increase employment. 

“Today our unemployment rate is down to 3 percent Which was about 2/3 times more,” she said.

She also said the government has established Karmasangsthan Bank.

 “Any youth can take loan there without collateral. They can do their own business with that and We have created that opportunity,” she said. 

Briefly describing the government measures for expansion of education and employment opportunities , she said that her government is giving text books free of cost alongside arranging vocational and technical training to build skilled manpower.

State Minister for the Labour and Employment Ministry Md Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour and Employment Ministry HM Ibrahim, Country Director of International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Bangladesh Tuomo Poutiainen, President of Bangladesh Employers' Federation Ardashir Kabir, Jatiya Sramik League president Noor Qutub Alam Mannan and Labour and Employment secretary M Mahbub Hossain also spoke.

A video documentary on the Great May Day was screened at the function.

Cheques were distributed among  the poor  workers from the Bangladesh Workers Welfare Foundation at the programme. 

A colourful cultural function performed by the workers was also held and the Prime Minister enjoyed that.