Barriers to recruitment and job retention faced by working-age persons with disabilities in the formal sector in Bangladesh: A systematic review, Qumrun Islam, Prof. Mokbul Ahmad

Qumrun Naher Islam and Professor Mokbul Morshed Ahmad
Department of Development and Sustainability
Asian Institute of Technology
Thailand

Abstract:

Persons with disabilities (PWDs) are facing multiple challenges to join and sustain in the formal job market in Bangladesh. Despite constitutional obligation and various policies enacted by the government, PWDs are not in the labor market as expected. This study addresses a critical research gap regarding the barriers to recruitment and job retention faced by working-age PWDs in Bangladesh’s formal employment sector. The objective of the research is to identify the barriers faced by the working-age (15–64 years) PWDs to be involved and continue jobs in Bangladesh’s formal sector employment and provide recommendations for future policy implementation to increase the participation of the PWDs in the formal job sector. This is particularly important because employment is both a right and a pathway to social and economic empowerment, ensuring that PWDs are not excluded from national development.

For this study, a systematic literature review has been conducted following the PRISMA framework. Thirty-five peer-reviewed published articles were analysed to identify the roots of the constraints and policy gaps. Policy documents, online news, organisation reports, and government reports are also used. Six categories of barriers were identified by the study: attitudinal, physical, communication, policy, social, and programmatic. In particular, the study highlights discriminatory employer perceptions, inaccessible infrastructure, lack of assistive technology, limited opportunities for skill development, and weak enforcement of policies. Intersectional discrimination based on loss of function results in double disadvantage for women with disabilities due to gendered norms. These findings underline how disability issues intersect with broader social inequalities, reinforcing the need for inclusive reforms.

The study depicts that in light of the enactment of legal instruments like the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2013 and the ratification of international human rights frameworks like UNCRPD, only 27.21% of PWDs in Bangladesh were working. The percentage of employed men was 40.39%, and women (7.30%), which represents an enormous difference. The study also revealed that 54.94% of the PWDs are self-employed, reflecting a lack of access to inclusive and secure employment opportunities in the government, NGO, and private sectors. The review calls for the implementation of disability-inclusive employment policies, targeted skill development programs, and workplace accessibility measures to address these challenges.

The review aligns with the global development agenda by relating to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), which promotes productive employment and equal opportunities for all, and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), which focuses on social and economic inclusion regardless of disability status. The hurdles that PWDs face are being flagged as "not simply a question of rights, but also of development as well", which would allow no group to be left out of the country’s labour market reforms. This research adds to the knowledge base by delivering evidence to inform policy and bolster the implementation of SDG 8 and SDG 10 via inclusive labour market strategies. It also emphasizes the importance of sex-specific data to make the scale of workplace discrimination clearer. Beyond rights, employing persons with disabilities is an economic imperative. Increasing their labor force participation can shrink the dependent population ratio, broaden the tax base and enhance productivity at a national level by importing a diversity of skills and perspectives. For Bangladesh, where human capital forms the backbone of economic growth, ensuring an equitable playing field for PWDs can unlock an important source of untapped labor, which in turn can drive innovation, demonstrate resilience, and deliver long-term development solutions for the country.

Keywords: Persons with Disabilities, Working Age, Formal Sector, Employment, Bangladesh, Systematic Literature Review.