Dhaka, Nov. 29 -- Industrial stagnation and shrinking private investment have caused 14 lakh people to lose jobs, leaving them "wandering on the streets without employment," Ha-Meem Group Managing Director and former FBCCI president A.K. Azad said on Saturday.

Speaking at the opening session of the Bangladesh Economic Conference 2025 at Hotel Sonargaon in the capital, he said the country is failing to create new jobs despite the growing labour force. The event was organised by Bonik Barta.

"Every year, 30 lakh people enter the job market. Of them, 1.2 lakh are recruited in government and semi-government agencies, 8 lakh go abroad, and 10 lakh get jobs in the private sector. The rest remain unemployed. But new employment is not being gen...