Topic vocabulary: work, economy and globalisation

the supply of people available to work compared with the number of jobs available (American spelling: labor market)

শ্রমবাজার

Each year around two million young Bangladeshis enter the labour market, but far fewer formal jobs are created.

the state of not having a paid job although you want one; also the number of people in this situation

বেকারত্ব

Graduate unemployment is a serious concern, as thousands of degree holders compete for a limited number of government posts.

a situation in which people work fewer hours than they want, or do jobs that do not use their skills and qualifications

যোগ্যতার তুলনায় কম কাজ বা কম সময়ের কাজ (অর্ধবেকারত্ব)

A master's graduate who can only find work as a delivery rider is a clear example of underemployment.

all the people who work in a particular country, industry or company

কর্মীবাহিনী; শ্রমশক্তি

Women make up a large share of the workforce in Bangladesh's garment factories.

the likelihood that you will keep your job and not lose it

চাকরির নিশ্চয়তা

Many young Bangladeshis prefer government jobs because they offer excellent job security, even though private firms may pay more.

the feeling of pleasure and achievement that you get from your work

কাজের প্রতি সন্তুষ্টি

Surveys suggest that job satisfaction depends more on respect and recognition than on salary alone.

the right amount of time and energy given to your job compared with your family, rest and personal interests

কাজ ও ব্যক্তিগত জীবনের ভারসাম্য

Flexible working hours can help parents achieve a healthier work–life balance.

a labour market in which many people do short-term, freelance or app-based work, such as food delivery or ride-sharing, instead of having permanent jobs

স্বল্পমেয়াদি ও অ্যাপভিত্তিক কাজের অর্থনীতি (গিগ ইকোনমি)

The gig economy gives students a flexible way to earn money, but riders usually receive no sick pay or pension.

working for several different clients and being paid for each piece of work, rather than being employed by one company; a person who works this way is a 'freelancer'

স্বাধীনভাবে চুক্তিভিত্তিক (ফ্রিল্যান্স)

Thousands of young Bangladeshis earn foreign currency by working freelance as web developers and graphic designers.

the activity of setting up and running new businesses, especially when this involves financial risk; the person is an 'entrepreneur' /ˌɒntrəprəˈnɜː/

উদ্যোক্তা হওয়া; উদ্যোক্তা কার্যক্রম

Microcredit schemes have encouraged entrepreneurship among women in rural Bangladesh.

the loss of a job because the employer no longer needs the worker, for example when a factory closes or work is automated; in British English people are 'made redundant'

চাকরি থেকে ছাঁটাই

When orders from European buyers fell sharply, hundreds of factory workers faced redundancy.

an increase in the amount of goods and services that a country produces, usually measured by GDP

অর্থনৈতিক প্রবৃদ্ধি

Bangladesh achieved economic growth of six to seven per cent a year for much of the 2010s.

a general increase in prices over time, which means that the same amount of money buys less than before

মূল্যস্ফীতি

High food inflation hits low-income families hardest, because they spend most of their income on rice, oil and vegetables.

the uneven distribution of income across a population, so that some people earn far more than others

আয়বৈষম্য

Rapid growth does not automatically reduce income inequality; the gap between rich and poor can even widen.

money that a person working abroad sends back to their family in their home country

প্রবাসী আয় (রেমিট্যান্স)

Remittances from Bangladeshis working in the Middle East, Malaysia and elsewhere now exceed twenty billion US dollars a year.

a person who moves to another country or region to find work, usually for a limited period

অভিবাসী শ্রমিক; প্রবাসী শ্রমিক

Many migrant workers pay high fees to recruitment agents before they even leave the country.

the process by which businesses, economies and cultures around the world become more connected and dependent on each other (American spelling: globalization)

বিশ্বায়ন

Globalisation has created millions of factory jobs in Asia, but it has also exposed workers to sudden changes in global demand.

a large company that produces or sells goods and services in many different countries

বহুজাতিক কোম্পানি

Multinational corporations are often attracted to Bangladesh by its low labour costs and large workforce.

to pay another company, often in another country, to do work that your company used to do itself; the noun is 'outsourcing'

অন্য প্রতিষ্ঠানকে দিয়ে কাজ করানো (আউটসোর্স করা)

Western fashion brands outsource almost all of their production to factories in South and South-East Asia.

the industry that manufactures finished clothes in large quantities, mainly for export; in Bangladesh it is usually called the RMG sector

তৈরি পোশাক শিল্প

The ready-made garment industry earns more than 80 per cent of Bangladesh's export income and employs around four million people.

producing goods and services mainly to sell to other countries

রপ্তানিমুখী

Export-oriented industries have helped many Asian economies grow quickly, but they depend heavily on foreign demand.

money that a company from one country invests in building or buying businesses in another country; often shortened to FDI

প্রত্যক্ষ বৈদেশিক বিনিয়োগ

Special economic zones have been set up to attract foreign direct investment in manufacturing.

the lowest amount of pay that an employer is legally allowed to pay a worker

ন্যূনতম মজুরি

Garment workers held protests demanding a higher minimum wage to keep up with rising prices.

unfair treatment of people, especially workers, for example paying them very little for long hours or making them work in unsafe conditions

শোষণ

The collapse of the Rana Plaza building in 2013, which killed more than 1,100 garment workers, focused global attention on labour exploitation.

to increase or improve something, especially the economy, trade, sales or confidence

বাড়ানো; চাঙ্গা করা

The Padma Bridge, which opened in 2022, was expected to boost economic activity across the south-west of the country.

the amount of work or goods that a worker, factory or country produces compared with the time, money or effort used

উৎপাদনশীলতা

Investing in workers' training is one of the most reliable ways to raise productivity.

producing a lot of money; very profitable

লাভজনক; প্রচুর আয়ের

Software development has become a lucrative career for skilled freelancers in Dhaka and Chattogram.

not safe, certain or secure, and therefore likely to get worse

অনিশ্চিত; ঝুঁকিপূর্ণ

Gig workers live in a precarious position: a single accident can mean weeks without any income.

to develop a wider range of products, markets or activities so that you depend less on just one of them; the noun is 'diversification'

বহুমুখী করা

Economists argue that Bangladesh must diversify its exports beyond clothing, for example into pharmaceuticals and electronics.

a large and usually unfair difference between two or more things

বৈষম্য; বড় পার্থক্য

There is a striking disparity between average incomes in Dhaka and those in the northern districts.

the use of machines and computers to do work that people used to do

স্বয়ংক্রিয়করণ

As automation spreads through garment factories, workers will need new technical skills to keep their jobs.