Employment Exchange programme to begin nationwide in December.
Employment Exchange programme between the employers and academia will begin across the country in December aimed at increasing the employment opportunities in the country.
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Labour and Employment and spokesperson of his office Mahdi Amin said this at a press briefing at the meeting room of the Ministry of Labour and Employment at the secretariat here today.
Mahdi said the initiative is being taken for creating employment opportunities is the key to properly empowering the youth and ensuring the maximum development of their talent in line with the commitment made in the BNP’s election manifesto.
To harness Bangladesh’s huge ‘demographic dividend’, the initial activities of the Employment Exchange and career fair will begin in Dhaka in December, he said adding gradually it will be expanded at divisional and district levels across the country.
Mahdi said the Prime Minister firmly believes that empowering the youth is essential to take the country forward. This goal can be achieved by creating employment opportunities and developing the latent talent and creativity of the young people, he added.
Mahdi Amin said consultations have been held continuously over the last six months with key stakeholders, including industry, academia, various NGOs, government agencies and development partners to turn the plan into reality. The activities will begin in December based on a consensus policy decision, he said.
The main task of the Employment Exchange will be connecting demand and supply in the labour market at one place, he said.
PM’s adviser said Bangladesh’s biggest strength is its huge young population. The government’s main objective is to harness the aspirations of the youth, turning them into skilled human resources and directly connect them with the job market.
The platform will assess employment opportunities in local industries, businesses and commercial organisations across the country, Mahdi Amin said.
He said there will be a database of the skills and qualifications of the working-age youth on one hand, and an account of the workforce requirements of local industries and businesses on the other. An integrated national digital platform will be developed by combining the two, he added.
Besides, regular career fairs will be organised across the country to create skilled human resources and employment opportunities, the adviser said.
The adviser said the initiative will end the longstanding gap between jobseekers and job givers through regular district-level career fairs.
Mahdi said a comprehensive ‘employment-oriented ecosystem’ will be developed through the initiative to enhance jobseekers’ skills and create direct employment opportunities.
Those entering the job market will receive necessary training, including CV writing, capacity building and interview skills. For this, arrangements are being made to connect candidates through referrals with various ministries, he added.
Replying to a query, Mahdi Amin said young people aspiring to go abroad would be helped to receive necessary technical training through registration under the Employment Exchange programme.
Both employers and jobseekers will be registered on the platform. Although international employers may not register directly, young people wishing to go abroad will be connected with the relevant Technical Training Centres or the technical and vocational education, he added.
“The government is going to create such an ecosystem where, if any young person states his or her career goal, they will be connected with the appropriate authority,” he said.
Replying to another question about the situation in factories and employment after August 5, the adviser said some factories had closed following the situation that emerged after August 5, 2024. But the actual number was much lower than publicity and it was a misinformation.
“Employment has declined due to the closure of some factories, while on the other, new investment is being increased and many new factories are being opened. Initiatives have also been taken to reopen the closed factories, resulting in the creation of new employment opportunities,” the adviser said.
In response to a question about a specific employment target through the Employment Exchange programme, Mahdi Amin said a specific target and roadmap would be unveiled when the programme is formally inaugurated next December.
Work is currently underway on the overall strategy and methodology of the entire framework to ensure spontaneous participation of industries and protect the interests of all, he added.
For now, he said, the government’s primary goal is to transform young people into skilled human resources.
Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment Abdur Rahman Tarafdar, among others, were present at the press briefing.
