Dr Asif Nazrul, Youth and Sports Adviser, announced on Sunday that 18,000 youths will be trained in a freelancing project.
On Saturday morning, he made the remarks while kicking off a three-month training course at the Ministry of Youth and Sports' conference room at the Secretariat.
The project is titled "Creating Employment through Freelancing Training for Educated Job-Seeking Youths in 48 Districts Across the Country".
Asif Nazrul, also an adviser to the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, stated that freelancing has enormous potential for the country's educated youth.
He stated that freelancing should be expanded further because it allows people to work without looking for work and does not require a large investment to begin earning or doing business.
He went on to say that freelancing allows people to work from home without the need for large offices, shops, or middlemen to find jobs. With today's rapid advancement of information technology, he added, the location and time of work no longer matter because distance is no barrier.
The adviser mentioned that there is a huge opportunity for many Bangladeshis to earn money through freelancing by working with institutions in Europe and America and that countries such as China and India have already embraced the opportunity.
He stated that the initiative has only just begun and that there is room and need to expand this freelancing training project and other similar initiatives.
Asif Nazrul expressed optimism, stating that 18,000 youths will eventually be trained under this project, though this figure is insufficient and should be increased to 18 lakhs in phases.
He extended his heartfelt gratitude and greetings to officials from the Department of Youth Development and the Ministry of Youth and Sports who spearheaded the freelancing training project, as well as everyone involved in its implementation.
He did, however, argue that such an extremely important project should be viewed differently, noting that there is room to rethink its structure beyond a traditional project framework.
The adviser stated that he would meet within the next one or two days to determine whether freelancing training can be mainstreamed and continued even after the project is completed using the ministry's own manpower and resources.
He went on to say that he firmly believes that freelancing will play an important role in the country's future.
According to Asif Nazrul, freelancing provides numerous opportunities to reduce unemployment, increase per capita income, and contribute to the country's overall economy, but only a fraction of this potential has been realised thus far.
He stated that during his brief tenure at the ministry, he would try to pursue all available opportunities and leave behind a small research-based note or proposal outlining future courses of action for those who will take over the ministry later.
The adviser emphasised the importance of holding a one-day working session after completing the training, saying that successful entrepreneurs or freelancers who emerge from the project should share their personal experiences with the trainees at each stage.
He stated that such interaction would be more encouraging and meaningful to those receiving training.
The fifth batch of the three-month-long training course, scheduled from January 1, 2026, to March 31, 2026, has begun with 3600 participants spread across 48 districts, with three batches of 75 trainees in each. This course's first session began today.
Job-seeking youths and young women aged 18 to 35 who have completed at least HSC or equivalent examinations are eligible for the training.
Mahbubul Alam, Youth and Sports Secretary, was joined by Dr Gazi Md Saifuzzaman, Director General of the Department of Youth Development, and other senior ministry and department officials.
The meeting was informed that this freelancing training programme was launched simultaneously in 48 districts of the country on January 1 of last year, with a target of 28,800 trainees at an estimated cost of Tk 299.99 crore, fully funded by the government, for the period January 2024 to December 2026.
Until December 2025, a total of 10,800 youths and young women have successfully completed freelancing training across 48 districts in four quarterly phases, each consisting of a three-month course.
More than 62 per cent of trained youths, or 6,732 trainees, have been able to earn money by working in various markets both at home and abroad.
They have earned nearly US$ 113,996, which is equivalent to approximately Taka 14,021,9629, and their income is gradually increasing.
The deputy directors of the respective district youth development offices monitor the three-month, 600-hour training course on a regular basis.
A total of 3,600 trainees are undergoing training in 48 districts, with 25 people in each batch, for a total of 75 people in three batches per district.
