In a significant effort to rehabilitate underprivileged youth, a special initiative by the Chattogram Deputy Commissioner (DC), Mohammad Zahidul Islam Mian, has successfully enabled 46 school dropouts to enter immediate employment.
Participants received job appointment letters alongside their training certificates on Wednesday, following the completion of a six-month vocational programme. The distribution took place during the closing and job linkage ceremony of the “Effective Literacy and Practical Skills Training (Pre-Vocational Level)” programme, held at the Chattogram DC office.
The initiative targeted individuals aged between 14 and 24 who had discontinued their formal education after Class VIII due to various socio-economic challenges.
Addressing the event, Zahidul Islam emphasised that training programmes must serve as genuine pathways to employment rather than simply concluding with the issuance of certificates.
“We do not want our responsibility to end with training. We want to see real outcomes,” the DC said. “When a young person secures employment after acquiring skills, it changes not only an individual’s life but also the future of a family,” he added.
The programme was implemented by the Bureau of Non-Formal Education under the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.
A total of 77 dropout learners underwent training in four specific trades at Katirhat High School and Hathazari Parbati Model Govt High School in Hathazari Upazila. Of these, 73 successfully passed the final assessment.
The vocational courses included tailoring and dressmaking, mobile phone servicing, computer and graphic design, and refrigeration and air-conditioning.
To ensure the trainees’ transition into the workforce, the district administration coordinated directly with employers, resulting in immediate placements for 46 graduates.
According to official details, all 20 trainees from the tailoring and dressmaking course were recruited by Grameen Boutiques and Production House. They will start with a monthly salary of Tk5,000 and a transport allowance of Tk2,000, with increments expected following confirmation of their employment.
Additionally, 17 trainees from the refrigeration and air-conditioning trade have been placed as apprentices at various establishments across Chattogram with a monthly stipend of Tk5,000.
Nine graduates from the mobile phone servicing course secured positions at service centres in Hathazari, where they will earn between Tk5,000 and Tk8,000 per month. Officials noted that efforts are currently underway to arrange employment opportunities for those who completed the computer and graphic design course.
Zahidul remarked that Bangladesh’s substantial youth population could serve as a major economic asset if equipped with the right skills and opportunities. “Those who completed this training are no longer school dropouts. They are now skilled human resources,” he said.
He further called upon employers to provide fair treatment, safe working conditions, and avenues for professional growth for these young workers.
The ceremony was attended by officials from the district administration, representatives from the Bureau of Non-Formal Education, employers, trainers, and the trainees themselves.
