When artificial intelligence began reshaping the global job market, Ali Hasnain Moula Chowdhury saw an opportunity rather than a threat.
The Chattogram-based software engineering graduate now works remotely as an AI-augmented product strategist and researcher for clients in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. Even before his university convocation, he had earned his first six-figure income in Bangladeshi taka through AI-powered freelancing.
“I realised people were afraid AI would replace jobs,” Hasnain said. “I chose to learn how to use AI to create my own income.”
His journey began in 2024 with a UI/UX bootcamp organised by Grameenphone Academy. The programme later led to a five-month industrial attachment at Grameenphone, where he worked with the MyGP product team and gained practical experience in product management and user experience.
“No classroom could have given me that experience,” he said.
Using skills from the Academy’s courses on prompt engineering, AI agents, freelancing and personal branding, Hasnain built an AI-powered assistant that automated research, client communication and project management. The tool helped him achieve his first six-figure earnings within four months.
His story reflects a wider challenge facing Bangladesh’s young workforce.
Nearly 2.2 million people enter the labour market every year, but job creation continues to lag behind demand. Around 28 per cent of graduates remain unemployed, while young people account for nearly 79 per cent of the country’s unemployed population. At the same time, AI is transforming workplaces, although an estimated 84 per cent of young Bangladeshis still lack the basic digital skills needed to use emerging technologies effectively.
For many graduates, the challenge is no longer just finding a job—it is becoming employable.
Beyond technical skills
That was the lesson Maria Nawar learned after graduating in Computer Science and Engineering.
Now working as a data analyst at a German company, Maria found technical knowledge alone was insufficient.
“I had the technical skills, but I struggled with communication, stakeholder management and connecting technical work with business goals,” she said.
As recruitment increasingly adopted AI-assisted screening and applicant tracking systems, she also struggled to present her skills effectively.
She enrolled in Grameenphone Academy courses on professional communication, AI applications, prompt engineering and career development.
“The Academy helped me prepare an ATS-friendly CV, explain technical concepts to non-technical people and communicate more confidently,” she said.
She credits the training with helping her secure more interview opportunities before landing her current role.
From setback to self-reliance
For Md Fahim Abu Ashraf, the challenge was financial independence.
A Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering student, Fahim had promised his father he would become financially independent within two semesters. Before fulfilling that goal, he lost nearly Tk39,000—including semester fees and borrowed money—in an online investment scam.
“I didn’t want to keep depending on my father,” he said.
Searching for a new path, Fahim discovered Grameenphone Academy’s WordPress freelancing programme through Facebook. Selected from around 200 applicants, he spent six months learning web development with mentorship.
His first freelance project earned him Tk10,000. Today, he works as a WordPress designer and web developer, earning around Tk80,000 from agency work and international clients.
The experiences of Hasnain, Maria and Fahim highlight the gap Grameenphone Academy is attempting to bridge between academic education and workplace demands.
Grameenphone Head of Environment Social and Governance (ESG) Farhana Islam said the Academy is part of the company’s sustainability strategy focused on empowering people through skills rather than one-time support.
“If we can help people develop the right skills and provide access to opportunities, they can build a more sustainable future for themselves,” she said.
She said Grameenphone identified after the Covid-19 pandemic that many graduates were entering the workforce without the practical digital and soft skills increasingly demanded by employers.
The Academy began as a pilot with 10 learners before expanding to 300 participants. In 2022, Grameenphone launched it as a free nationwide online learning platform.
Since then, the platform has recorded more than 400,000 enrolments and issued over 150,000 certifications.
Recognising AI as a critical workplace skill, the Academy introduced more than 4,000 minutes of AI-focused learning content within eight months, attracting 50,000 enrolments and generating 20,000 certifications.
Courses cover prompt engineering, AI agents, workflow automation, AI-powered UX, machine learning and no-code application development, alongside communication, freelancing, digital marketing, LinkedIn optimisation and personal branding.
The test: Can skills create income?
Grameenphone Academy Head Farhana Hossain Shammu said the platform has moved beyond course delivery to measuring whether learners can convert skills into income.
“We realised students were taking courses but we couldn’t measure the impact. That’s why we launched the Freelancing Factory programme—to see whether learners could turn their skills into income,” she said.
According to Shammu, participants in the pilot programme collectively earned more than $90,000, with nearly 47 per cent generating income through freelancing.
Overall, Academy learners have earned more than $92,000 within one and a half years through platforms including Fiverr, Upwork, LinkedIn, Kwork and Facebook Marketplace. Several have established digital agencies or secured remote jobs with international companies.
Among them is A B M Ilman Farabi, who moved from working as a Foodpanda rider to earning more than $10,000 through freelancing.
Mymuna Binte Shahid overcame child marriage to build a freelancing career worth more than $4,000, while Nafiz Ahmed secured his first international client despite living with a speech disability.
Their journeys differ, but the common thread is practical learning, mentorship and the ability to adapt as technology reshapes the future of work.
