A three-month freelancing training programme has been launched as part of a project aimed at creating employment for educated, job-seeking youth across all 64 districts of Bangladesh. The inauguration took place on Wednesday, 1 April, at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, where activities were launched simultaneously across all districts via a virtual platform.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque joined the event virtually as the chief guest and declared the programme open. The session was chaired by the ministry’s Secretary, Md. Mahbub-ul-Alam, moderated by the Director General of the Department of Youth Development, Dr Gazi Md. Saifuzzaman. District-level officials, representatives of E-learning and Earning Ltd, and around 5,000 trainees joined online.
The state minister said freelancing training had been prioritised in the government’s electoral manifesto to create new employment opportunities for young people. He said the programme had been launched nationwide as part of the implementation of commitments made by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
The secretary said employment remained a priority, with initiatives focused on developing modern skills, including freelancing, to create income opportunities for young people.
Masud Alam, Managing Director of E-learning and Earning Ltd, said a central database of freelancers had been developed. Profiles are created for participants at the start of training to track income and professional progress. At the event, he also shared his experience of becoming a freelancer and an entrepreneur.
According to project data, the programme aims to train 36,000 individuals between January 2024 and December 2027 at a cost of BDT 3,737,723,000. Activities began on 1 January 2025. Training is being conducted in all 64 districts across eight divisions.
The sixth batch runs from 1 April to 30 June 2026, with 4,800 participants, 75 from each district. Applicants aged between 18 and 35 with a minimum higher secondary qualification were eligible. A committee comprising representatives of the district administration, the Department of Youth Development, and training providers selected participants through written and oral assessments.
So far, 14,400 individuals have completed training across five phases. Of them, 60 per cent, or 8,640 individuals, are working in local and international marketplaces. Total earnings reported stand at $1,845,645, equivalent to approximately BDT 227,014,416. Mentoring sessions have been arranged in each district to support income generation.
A total of 97,229 applications were received for the current batch. Of these, 61,581 applicants were selected to sit for examinations, and 4,800 were chosen for training following written and viva assessments. Participants will receive 600 hours of training over three months, with eight hours of instruction per day.
The training includes computer office applications, freelancing, basic English, digital marketing, soft skills, mobile-based freelancing, graphic design and video editing. Participants are provided with travel allowances, meals and training materials. Certificates will be issued upon completion. Officials from the ministry, the department and relevant agencies are conducting regular monitoring visits.