The number of unemployed people in Bangladesh has increased. By the end of 2024, total unemployment in the country rose to 2.61 million people. The information was revealed in the Labour Force Survey published on Sunday (18 May) by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). According to the survey data, unemployment increased by 60,000 during the October–December period of 2024 compared with the previous three months (July–September). At the end of September 2024, the number of unemployed stood at 2.55 million. The unemployment rate in 2024 was 4.48 per cent, compared with 4.15 per cent in 2023. The Labour Force Survey also indicated a decline in the number of people participating in the country’s labour force. Under the rules of the International Labour Organization (ILO), unemployed persons are defined as those who did not have the opportunity to work for at least one hour for pay within the previous seven days and who actively sought work for one month but were unable to find paid employment. The BBS calculates unemployment figures in line with this definition.