DHAKA  – As many as 5 lakh 86 thousand youths have become self-employed after receiving training from the Department of Youth Development in the last nine years, an official said.

“Around 22.37 lakh unemployed youths both males and females received different trainings from the Youth Development Department between January 2009 and December 2017. Of them, 5 lakh 86 thousand youths have become self- employed,” Director of Department of Youth Development AN Ahmed Ali told BSS.

Taka 816.33 crore was given as loans to 1 lakh 84 thousand 75 youths while the rate of loan realization was 95 percent till June 2017, he added.

Ali said under National Service Programme, 1.28 lakh youths were imparted training. Youth Development Department sources said currently the number of listed youth organizations is 18,352 while 13,455 organisations get donation.

The director said a total of 11,366 youth organisations have been listed in the last nine years. During the period, Taka 9.28 crore donations were given to 5,840 organisations.

Ali said a total of 391 persons were given “Youth Award” for their outstanding performance so far. Of them, 146 got the awards in the last nine years.

Mentioning different achievements of the department in creating scopes for self-employment through imparting trainings to alleviate poverty, the director said the Youth Development Department and subordinate offices have
been working relentlessly to implement the Vision 2021 and Vision 2041 and Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs).

He said 14 new projects have been implemented in the last nine years, adding that 11 residential youth training centres also have been established. Besides, 64 districts and 476 upazilas have been brought under internet
facilities.

Ali said the department provides training to unemployed youths at nominal fees to make them as skilled manpower. But youths of third gender, Dalit community and disabled do not have to pay any fees to receive training from the department.