বাংলা
যুব ও ক্রীড়া মন্ত্রণালয়Workshop on Developing a Communication Strategy
The workshop was held on the morning of May 15, 2025, at the Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka, with the objective of developing an effective Communication Strategy for the project.
At the beginning of the workshop, a documentary was presented by Sadekul Arefin, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the EARN Project's communication agency, Spellbound Communications Limited. The documentary was developed based on information and data collected through field-level Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and interviews with key informants.
The inaugural session was attended by Md. Mahbub-ul-Alam, Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as the Chief Guest. Special guests included Dr. Gazi Md. Saifuzzaman, Director General (Grade-1) of the Department of Youth Development, and Syed Rashed Al-Zayed Yash, Senior Economist at the World Bank. The welcome address was delivered by M. A. Akher, Director and Joint Secretary of the Administration Wing of the Department of Youth Development. The session was chaired by Kazi Mokhlesur Rahman, Project Director of the EARN Project and Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
In his speech, Md. Mahbub-ul-Alam said that the youth of Bangladesh are the nation's greatest strength and resource. They are not only the potential leaders of tomorrow but also the driving force behind many of the changes taking place across the country today. Their contributions to technology, innovation, education, and social development are commendable. Their dreams, courage, and hard work are helping build a self-reliant and developed Bangladesh. He noted that unemployment is a major challenge for the country and that the EARN Project will serve as a transformative initiative to address this challenge.
One of the key objectives of the EARN Project is women's empowerment. Many women in Bangladesh still face various barriers to participating in economic activities. Women will constitute 60% of the project's total beneficiaries, with particular emphasis on developing their skills and capabilities. The project will provide various forms of training to young women to help them build confidence and acquire the skills needed to enter the workforce.
The primary objective of the workshop was to develop an effective, participatory, and sustainable communication strategy that, with the support of stakeholders, can effectively communicate the project's messages to NEET youth across the country. Regardless of how well the EARN Project is planned, achieving its intended objectives will be difficult unless its messages and opportunities can effectively reach the target group—the youth. The discussion session in the second part of the workshop was facilitated by Sadekul Arefin, Managing Director of Spellbound Communications Limited.
The EARN Project is being implemented by the Department of Youth Development under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, with grant support from the Government of Bangladesh and loan assistance from the World Bank. Under the project, a total of 900,000 youth, including 500,000 young women, who are not in education, employment, or training will be integrated into economic and social activities by 2028, enabling them to contribute to the country's economic transformation and growth.
The EARN Project will provide youth with skills development opportunities in employment-oriented, suitable, and environmentally sustainable sectors, along with training and microfinance support to help create long-term employment opportunities and develop them as entrepreneurs. Through these initiatives, the project aims to ensure the economic and social inclusion of a large youth population, particularly young women, in Bangladesh.
