Field Test Launched for EARN Project Beneficiary Identification

Field testing for beneficiary identification under the Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET (EARN) project commenced on 7 July 2026. For this purpose, a total of five teams — comprising project officers and consultants — have simultaneously begun work across different upazilas, selected on the basis of Bangladesh's diverse geographic and demographic characteristics.

The upazilas selected for the field test are:

• Naikhongchhari (Bandarban) — Hill tract region and ethnic minority communities

• Morelganj (Bagerhat) — Climate-vulnerable coastal area

• Sreemangal (Moulvibazar) — Haor and tea garden area

• Ulipur (Kurigram) — Riverine char area

• Singair (Manikganj)

  

Under the EARN Project, 900,000 NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) youth — 60 percent of whom are young women — will be integrated into economic and social activities, enabling them to contribute to Bangladesh's economic transformation and growth.

With grant support from the Government of Bangladesh and loan assistance from the World Bank, the project will provide skills training, long-term employment opportunities, and entrepreneurship support — including microfinance — in demand-driven, appropriate, and environmentally friendly sectors.

The 900,000 youth — both young men and women — who are not in education, employment, or training are the primary target beneficiaries of the EARN Project. The project covers six categories of beneficiaries, each of whom will receive training in different ways:

1. Approximately 500,000 NEET youth at the grassroots level (including 300,000 women) will receive skills development training along with Socio-Emotional Behavior (SEB) and Enterprise Development Training (EDT).

2. 200,000 NEET youth (including 120,000 women) who hold SSC/HSC or higher qualifications and have received or are currently receiving technical or vocational training from any institution will be provided with SEB and EDT training.

3. 100,000 NEET youth (including 60,000 women) who have dropped out at the secondary level will be provided with the opportunity to re-enter existing educational programs under the Open University.

4. 50,000 NEET youth (including 30,000 women) from registered youth clubs in 250 upazilas covered under the project will receive leadership training.

5. 25,000 NEET youth (including 15,000 women) will be provided with online training.

6. 25,000 youth from disadvantaged communities — including third-gender individuals, persons with disabilities, residents of remote areas, marginalized communities, and areas with special needs — will receive financial support through projects approved from the Innovation Fund to improve their socio-economic conditions.