The number of unemployed people rose 5.6 percent year-on-year to 26.4 lakh in the April-June quarter of this year, owing to an increase in the unemployment rate.

The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics yesterday, also showed that Bangladesh had 25 lakh idle people in the second quarter of 2023.

The BBS said Bangladesh's unemployment rate increased to 3.65 percent in the second quarter of 2024 from 3.41 percent during the same period a year prior.

It also said unemployment rose because of increased joblessness among men. However, the women's employment rate increased in the April-June period of 2024.

The BBS said Bangladesh's labour force -- which comprises all individuals who are able to work -- declined 1.3 percent year-on-year to 7.28 crore in the second quarter of the current year.

Of them, 6.96 crore were employed, down 1.55 percent from 7.07 crore in the same period a year ago, according to the QLFS.

Of the total employed population in the second quarter of the year, 4.61 crore were male and 2.34 crore were female.

The BBS said the number of people outside the labour force grew to 4.95 crore in the April-June period of this year, up 4.6 percent year-on-year.

The latest QLFS showed that the labour force participation rate declined to 59.3 percent in the second quarter of this year from 60.7 percent a year ago.