A job fair aimed at expanding employment opportunities for skilled adolescent girls and young women was held at Hotel Sea Palace in Cox’s Bazar on 18 June 2026, bringing together more than 20 organisations from tourism, retail, banking, ICT, service and hospitality sectors, said in a press release. The event formed part of a broader skills-to-employment initiative designed to connect trained women with potential employers and support their entry into the labour market.
The fair was organised under the Shopner Sharothi – Girls Education and Skills Partnership (GESP) project, jointly implemented by JAAGO Foundation Trust and UNICEF Bangladesh with funding from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). It followed a similar job fair held in Bandarban on 16 June 2026, extending the programme’s outreach across the Chattogram Hill Tracts and coastal regions.
Employers including BDJobs, Shombhob Jobs, HONOR, OPPO and Shopno Super Shop participated in the Cox’s Bazar event alongside organisations from tourism, retail and service industries. Through dedicated booths, participants were able to submit CVs, attend direct interviews, receive career guidance and explore potential job and internship placements.
Organisers said the initiative aims to address structural barriers faced by young women in Cox’s Bazar, including poverty, early marriage, social restrictions, mobility challenges and limited access to professional networks, despite the region’s strong tourism and service sector potential.
Md Kamrul Islam, Assistant Commissioner and Executive Magistrate of Cox’s Bazar District Administration, said creating employment and skills development opportunities for girls would transform individual lives while contributing to broader community progress.
Fahmida Shabnam, Representative of UNICEF Bangladesh, said sustainable change is possible when girls are given access to skills training, confidence-building and clear pathways to employment, adding that the programme also helps young women recognise their leadership potential.
Kamrul Kibria Ayon, Assistant General Manager (AGM) of JAAGO Foundation Trust, said the initiative goes beyond training by focusing on real employment outcomes and encouraging young women to consider entrepreneurship as a long-term pathway to economic independence.
Participant Kohinur Akter, a learner of the Retail Sales Course under the project, said the training helped her build skills and confidence, enabling her to secure employment and earn independently while inspiring her to aim for greater goals.
Under the Shopner Sharothi project, 4,100 adolescent girls and young women have received training in sectors including food and beverage services, retail, housekeeping and ICT. A further 1,320 participants from remote areas have accessed mobile training programmes, while 5,400 students are receiving digital skills and leadership training through the Passport to Earning (P2E) platform.
Organisers said the job fair serves not only as a recruitment platform but also as an initiative to build confidence, encourage ambition and promote entrepreneurship among young women from marginalised communities.
JAAGO Foundation Trust and UNICEF Bangladesh said the programme demonstrates that with appropriate skills, opportunities and support systems, young women can contribute significantly to Bangladesh’s social and economic development.
