With tailored interventions targeting regional disparities and gender gaps, this initiative not only aligns with global trends but also holds promise in bridging the skills gap and fostering economic growth
Bangladesh has a huge youth force, according to the census report recently published by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, one-fourth of the country’s total population is in the 15-29 age group. In numbers, the country’s current youth population is 45.9 million (4 crore and 59 lakh). We need to take care of them to make them skilled. Having this policy, on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved a project worth Tk 2.99 billion aimed at providing freelancing training to educated and young job seekers in 48 districts, to create employment opportunities.
Educated Bangladeshi youth, armed with pertinent IT skills, can capitalize on this opportunity to secure employment and bolster foreign currency reserves.
In total, ECNEC approved nine development projects, with a combined budget of Tk 44.53 billion, including the freelancing training initiative. The project titled “Employment Generation through Freelancing Training for Educated Youth Jobseekers in 48 Districts” will be implemented by December 2026. The decision was made during an ECNEC meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the NEC Conference Room in Dhaka. In 2022, a similar initiative was launched. Upon approval of the new project, freelancer training will be extended nationwide, with implementation overseen by the Department of Youth Development within the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
“It is a very good initiative, but past experience saw youth could not utilize the training received under the government management. This time there should be monitoring of the work undertaken by the youth after the training.”
– Dr Selim Raihan Selim, Executive Director, South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM)
Of the total expenditure, Tk 39.09 billion will be sourced from the government’s coffers, Tk 2.89 billion from the organizations’ own funds, and the remaining Tk 2.54 billion from a foreign loan, as per the planning secretary’s statement.
Government’s Freelancing Training Initiative
The government’s initiative aims to train 28,800 young individuals over three years, focusing on equipping them with freelancing skills to generate foreign exchange. Each district will establish two labs, each furnished with 25 computers and high-speed internet, to facilitate training. Twenty-five participants will undergo training concurrently in each lab, constituting a batch of 50 trainees. Applications will be accepted online, with eligibility criteria including a higher secondary certificate (HSC) and an age range of 18 to 35. Selection will occur through written and viva examinations.
Participants will undergo a three-month training program at no cost, receiving a daily allowance of Tk 200 along with a food allowance of Tk 300. A senior official from the Planning Commission’s Socio-Economic Infrastructure Division emphasized that this initiative will not only provide employment opportunities through freelancing but also will contribute to overall job growth.
Experience From The Pilot Project
A three-year initiative, conducted across 16 districts from July 2022 to June 2024 with an estimated budget of Tk 475 million, has been completed. The subsequent project is set to be executed in the remaining 48 districts.
Presently, out of the individuals trained during the previous project, 823 individuals, equivalent to 64 percent, are generating income, while 263 individuals, constituting 21 percent, have secured employment in various sectors. These trained individuals collectively generated USD 407,000, approximately Tk 5.17 billion, in October 2023, with an exchange rate of USD 1 to Tk 110.
As per the ‘World Trade Report 2023’ published by the World Trade Organization (WTO), Bangladesh accounts for 14 percent of the global freelancing community, with approximately 1 million men and women engaged in freelancing within the country.
Youth Inactivity: 41%
The 2022 Sample Vital Registration System report released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) brings to light a significant skills gap among Bangladeshi youth. It is noteworthy that more than 40.67% of young people (aged 18-35) fall into the NEET category, indicating a dearth of formal skill development opportunities.
The report underscores a pronounced gender gap within the youth demographic. The percentage of females classified as NEET stands at 61.71%, nearly three times higher than that of males (18.59%). This divide persists across rural and urban areas as well as all administrative divisions.
Sylhet division exhibits the highest NEET rate (43.98%), whereas Barishal division boasts the lowest (38.32%), suggesting the necessity for tailored interventions to address regional disparities.
Data from the BBS’ latest labor force survey reveal that by December 2022, there were 23.1 lakh unemployed individuals in the country, marking a 40,000 uptick compared to the previous year.
The proposed project by The Department of Youth Development (DYD) acknowledges the pivotal role of information technology in the contemporary landscape. Without skilled IT professionals, crucial sectors such as offices, courts, businesses, tourism, entertainment, communication, banking, insurance, medicine, and research face disruptions.
The proposal recognizes that developed countries, leveraging their advanced IT capabilities, often outsource tasks to developing nations. The project seeks to tackle this challenge by empowering educated youth through freelance IT opportunities, potentially mitigating unemployment and poverty.
In conclusion, the approval of the Tk 2.99 billion project by ECNEC signifies a significant stride in addressing youth unemployment through freelancing training. With tailored interventions targeting regional disparities and gender gaps, this initiative not only aligns with global trends but also holds promise in bridging the skills gap and fostering economic growth.
