Advancing Faster: Female Achievement and Employment Outcomes in Bangladesh

This study examines Bangladesh’s paradoxical gender progress, where women’s gains in education (50.8% pre-primary enrollment, female-dominated tertiary ratios) and employment (42.7% labour force participation) contrast with persistent rural-urban divides in technology access and leadership representation. National datasets from 2000–2023 are analyzed to reveal that while urban women benefit from digital and educational investments, rural women face infrastructural barriers despite high female employment in sectors like garments. Linear empowerment narratives are challenged by findings highlighting male disengagement (35.2% NEET rates) alongside women’s visibility. Reforms prioritizing rural digital equity and gender-balanced vocational training are recommended to translate participation into substantive power.