By Arju Afrin Kathy

The Labour and Livelihood Intervention Cluster constitutes a core component of Bangladesh’s social protection system, addressing poverty through employment generation, skills development, and structured graduation pathways. Coordinated by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, the cluster aligns with the promotional function of the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS), which emphasizes enhancing productive capacity, employability, and sustainable incomes for poor and vulnerable populations. Its mandate reflects the recognition that sustainable poverty reduction requires moving beyond consumption support toward dignified work and livelihood resilience. The cluster operates within a highly dynamic and constrained labour market context. Each year, approximately two million young people enter the labour force, intensifying pressures on employment creation, skills development, and job matching systems. These demographic dynamics are compounded by persistent unemployment and underemployment, limited fiscal space for large-scale training initiatives, and structural barriers that restrict access to productive and decent work. Addressing these challenges is central to preventing poverty persistence and intergenerational vulnerability.