Workshop on the Development of the Communication Strategy Paper

A workshop titled 'Stakeholder Consultation Workshop' was held under the 'Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET (EARN)' project of the Department of Youth Development. The workshop was organized on the morning of 15 May 2025 at Hotel InterContinental, Dhaka, with the aim of developing an effective Communication Strategy Paper for the project.

At the opening of the workshop, a documentary was presented by Sadequl Arefin, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Spellbound Communications Limited — the communication agency engaged for the EARN Project. The documentary was developed based on data and findings gathered through field-level focus group discussions and key informant interviews.

The Chief Guest at the inaugural session was the Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Md. Mahbub-ul-Alam. Special Guests included Director General (Grade-1) of the Department of Youth Development, Dr. Gazi Md. Saifuzzaman, and World Bank Senior Economist Syed Rashed Al-Zayed Josh. The welcome address was delivered by Director of the Administration Wing and Joint Secretary of the Department of Youth Development, M. A. Akher. The session was chaired by EARN Project Director and Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Kazi Mokhlesur Rahman.

In his address as Chief Guest, Md. Mahbub-ul-Alam stated that the youth of Bangladesh are the nation's greatest strength and asset. They are not merely the promise of tomorrow — they are the driving force behind the transformation being witnessed across every sector of the country today. The role of youth in technology, innovation, education, and social development is commendable. It is through their dreams, courage, and labor that a self-reliant and prosperous Bangladesh is being built. He noted that unemployment remains a major challenge for the country, and the EARN Project will serve as a groundbreaking initiative in addressing this challenge.

One of the primary objectives of the EARN Project is women's empowerment. Many women in Bangladesh still face significant barriers to economic participation. Under this project, 60 percent of the total beneficiaries will be women, with special emphasis placed on developing their professional skills and capacities. The project will provide various training programs for young women, equipping them to enter the workforce with confidence.

The core objective of the workshop was to develop an effective, participatory, and sustainable communication strategy — one that, with the support of stakeholders, would ensure the project's message reaches every NEET youth across the country. Regardless of how well the EARN Project is planned, achieving its intended goals will be difficult if it fails to reach its target group — the youth — effectively. The discussion session in the second half of the workshop was facilitated by Sadequl 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 this 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, contributing to the country's economic transformation and growth. The EARN Project will provide skills training, long-term employment, and entrepreneurship support — including microfinance — in demand-driven, appropriate, and environmentally friendly sectors, ensuring the inclusion of a large youth population — particularly young women — in Bangladesh's economic and social activities.