In a concerted effort to address the “leaky pipeline” of female talent in the workforce, BRAC has introduced a pioneering initiative titled “Bridge Returnship.” The programme is designed to reintegrate professional women who have been forced to take career breaks due to domestic obligations, maternity, or societal pressures. At a media briefing held on Thursday at the BRAC Centre in Mohakhali, data was presented highlighting a stark reality: while 75% of professional women eventually leave their jobs for family reasons, a staggering 98.5% express a profound desire to return to the workforce.
Addressing the ‘Career Dropout’ Crisis
The Bridge Returnship offers a structured six-month placement within BRAC’s diverse departments. Beyond providing a salary, the programme focuses on leadership development, mentorship, and technical upskilling to bridge the competency gap created during years of absence.
Moutushi Kabir, BRAC’s Chief People and Culture Officer, emphasised that the corporate world often stigmatises gaps in a CV. “We frequently discuss school dropouts, but we rarely address the phenomenon of ‘career dropouts,'” she noted. “When women attempt to return after a hiatus, they are often overlooked for interviews or subjected to discouraging and disparaging remarks regarding their ability to balance work and motherhood.”
Why Women Leave and Why They Return
The initiative analysed the motivations of over 1,200 applicants this year to understand the dynamics of the female professional lifecycle in Bangladesh.
| Reason for Career Break | Percentage | Motivation to Return | Percentage |
| Family Responsibilities | 38.8% | Professional Growth | 76.5% |
| Maternity/Childcare | 36.0% | Financial Independence | 56.5% |
| Hostile Work Environment | 8.5% | Family Contribution | 42.7% |
| Social Pressure | 4.7% | Personal Fulfilment | 18.2% |
Scaling Impact Through Partnerships
The demand for such a programme is immense. This year alone, more than 1,200 women applied, from whom 24 were selected for the 2026 cohort—an increase from the 15 participants in the previous year. Recognising that BRAC cannot absorb every talented returnee, the organisation plans to share the profiles of 120 highly skilled applicants with partner institutions and other corporate entities to encourage inclusive hiring across the sector.
For participants like Jahrun Jannat, who took a two-year break for maternity, the returnship is a lifeline. “I was repeatedly asked during interviews elsewhere how I would ‘manage’ a child while working,” she shared. “This initiative provides a dignified pathway back into the professional sphere.”
By offering mentoring and entrepreneurship training for those who may not find traditional employment, BRAC is not just filling vacancies; it is dismantling the systemic barriers that treat motherhood as a professional liability.