Unseen Comprehension-37 Alim (The Unemployment Problem)

The Unemployment Problem.

বেকার সমস্যা।

Unemployment is a great social evil. For the peace and prosperity of social life, it is essential that all the able-bodied persons in a society should be engaged in ant occupation to earn money and to maintain themselves and their families. An unemployed man has to lead a vagabond life. In that case, life becomes  a curse and burden to him. Moreover, an unemployed person has an idle brain which very soon becomes the devil's workshop.

It's true that unemployment is a worldwide problem. No country of the world can boastfully claim that she is absolutely free from the problem of unemployment. But nowhere in the world this problem is so acute as in our country. Why is the problem so acute in our country? The reasons are not far to seek. In the first place, our country is industrially very backward. There are few mills, factories and firms in our country. Cottage industries are not in a flourishing condition. The mills and factories that we have can give employment to a limited number of people. Similar is the case with agriculture. As the supply of land is limited, it cannot employ a large number of people.

Secondly, our system of education fails to give a student an independent start in life. It has little provision for vocational training. Besides, our students and youths have a false sense of dignity and prestige. They think that service is more honourable than an independent business. So they run madly after jobs, the opportunity of which is very limited. Thirdly, inequitable distribution of national wealth and abnormal growth rate of population work jointly or separately to intensify the problem in our country. However, the first thing necessary for the solution of this problem is the industrialisation of the country. A large number of mills, factories and firms should be established throughout the country. These industries will then be able to give employment to a large number of people. Secondly, vocational education should be introduced and students should have some training in it. After the academic career this will help them in earning a living. Our students and youth should be made to change their attitude to life. They must give up their false sense of dignity in becoming officers and shake of their menia for jobs. They should learn to choose an independent career having due respect for manual labour. Last of all, steps should be made to increase our national income to the maximum and distribute it equitably. But all attempts will be fruitless if the population is not kept within reasonable limit.