C T Online Desk: Jan 4, 2026 – Youth and Sports Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul today said some 18,000 youths will be trained under a freelancing training project.
He made the remarks while inaugurating a three-month-long training course at the conference room of the Ministry of Youth and Sports at the Secretariat this morning.
The project titled creating employment through freelancing training for educated job-seeking youths in 48 districts across the country.
Asif Nazrul, also the Adviser of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, said freelancing has immense potential for educated youths of the country.
He noted that freelancing needs to be expanded further as it allows individuals to work without running after jobs and does not require significant investment to start earning or doing business.
He continued that freelancing lets people work from home without needing big offices, shops, or middlemen to find jobs. With today’s rapid growth of information technology, he added, the place and time of work no longer matter since distance is no barrier.
Mentioning that there is a huge opportunity for many Bangladeshis to earn through freelancing by working with institutions in Europe and America, the adviser said countries like China and India are already embracing extensively the opportunity.
He said the initiative has just begun and there is scope and necessity to further expand this freelancing training project and similar initiatives.
Expressing optimism, Asif Nazrul said 18,000 youths will eventually be trained under this project alhough this number is not sufficient and should ideally be raised to 18 lakh in phases.
He expressed his sincere thanks and greetings to officials of the Department of Youth Development and the Ministry of Youth and Sports who undertook the freelancing training project, as well as all those involved in its implementation.
He, however, said such an extremely necessary project should be viewed differently, noting that there is a scope to rethink its structure beyond a conventional project framework.
The adviser said he would sit within the next one or two days to examine whether the freelancing training can be mainstreamed and continued even after the completion of the project through the ministry’s own manpower and resources.
He added that he genuinely believes a significant part of the country’s future lies in freelancing.
Asif Nazrul said freelancing offers vast opportunities to reduce unemployment, increase per capita income and contribute to the country’s overall economy, but only a small portion of this potential has so far been utilized.
He said during his limited tenure at the ministry he would try to explore all available opportunities and leave behind a small research-based note or proposal outlining future courses of action for those who will take charge of the ministry later.
Emphasizing the importance of holding a one-day working session after completion of the training, the adviser said successful entrepreneurs or freelancers emerging from the project should share their personal experiences at every stage with the trainees.
He said such interaction would be more encouraging and meaningful for those receiving training.
Under the fifth batch of the three-month-long training course, scheduled from January 1, 2026 to March 31, 2026, training of 3600 participants has begun across 48 districts, with three batches of 75 trainees in each district. Today marked the inaugural programme of this course.
Job-seeking youths and young women aged between 18 and 35 years who have passed at least HSC or equivalent examinations are eligible for the training.
Youth and Sports Secretary Mahbubul Alam, Director General of the Department of Youth Development Dr Gazi Md Saifuzzaman, and senior officials of the ministry and the department were present on the occasion.
The meeting was informed that this freelancing training programme was launched simultaneously in 48 districts of the country from January 1 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 from January 2024 to December 2026.
Until December 2025, a total of 10,800 youths and young women successfully completed freelancing training across 48 districts under four quarterly phases, each consisting of a three-month-long course.
More than 62 percent of the trained youths, or 6,732 trainees, have been able to earn by working in various marketplaces at home and abroad.
They have so far earned nearly US$ 11,39,996 equivalent to about Taka 14,02,19,629, and the income is gradually increasing.
The three-month-long, 600-hour training course is regularly monitored by deputy directors of the respective district youth development offices.
A total of 3,600 trainees are receiving training in 48 districts, with 25 people in each batch, for a total of 75 people in 3 batches in each district.
