Jamaat Jumps to Jobs: ICT and Youth Uplift in Five-Year Plan
The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced a plan to create employment for 2 million youths in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector within five years if the party attains governance through popular mandate. As part of this initiative, a ‘Youth Tech Lab’ will be established in every sub-district for graduates.
Under the announced plan, a new ministry will be formed to ensure skilled workforce development and employment generation. Additionally, one million youths will receive market-based skill training over the next five years.
The announcement was made at a policy summit on “Youth Employment,” held on Tuesday, January 30, at the InterContinental Hotel in Dhaka. The summit, which began at 9 a.m., presented a comprehensive policy framework focusing on health, education, employment, social security, industry, agriculture, youth development, and the ICT sector.
During the summit, Abdullah Al Mahmud, CEO of Thriving Skills, presented the keynote paper on potential employment in the ICT sector. He emphasized that transforming the young population into a skilled workforce could generate substantial employment opportunities in ICT. This requires strategic investment, skill development, and connections with international markets.
The discussion also highlighted plans to establish a ‘District Job Youth Bank’ in every district, aiming to provide 5 million job accesses over the next five years. Speakers stressed that addressing unemployment is crucial for national economic progress and emphasized the need for a clear sector-specific employment framework.
To encourage entrepreneurship, the plan includes creating 500,000 entrepreneurs, prioritizing women, youths, and marginalized populations. Furthermore, initiatives will be launched to integrate youths into the digital economy, aiming to develop 1.5 million freelancers.
For long-term ICT objectives, a “Vision 2040” strategy was announced. This includes creating and placing 2 million ICT jobs by 2030, establishing a National Payment Gateway to facilitate freelancers and digital exports, and targeting $5 billion in ICT sector export revenue. Additionally, the government plans to save $1.5 billion in ICT-related expenditures. Skill development programs for low-educated youths will also be introduced.
In the health sector, the plan proposes allocating 6–8% of GDP to healthcare. Free healthcare services will be provided for citizens over 60 years old and children under five. Special hospitals will be established in all 64 districts. Under the “First Hundred Days Program,” free services and support will be provided to expectant and new mothers.
To modernize social security, a smart social security card will be introduced, integrating national ID, TIN, health, and social services into a single card. Free food distribution plans for all children were also presented.
Economic and industrial policies include exempting all charges for gas, electricity, and water in new industries for the first three years. Closed factories will be revived under a public–private partnership (PPP) model, with 10% ownership transferred to workers.
In agriculture, interest-free loans will be provided to farmers. Additionally, 500,000 graduates will receive two-year interest-free loans of BDT 10,000 per month. A merit-based scheme will provide 100,000 students with interest-free loans of BDT 10,000 per month. The government will also annually send 100 top students to world-class universities with interest-free loans.
The policy summit was attended by ambassadors from multiple countries, top political leaders, intellectuals, educators, editors, journalists, researchers, and professionals. Distinguished Fellows and Executive Director Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, Supreme Court Senior Lawyer Shahdin Malik, and former MP Major (Retd.) Akhtaruzzaman were also present.
From the Jamaat-e-Islami, the following were present: Naib Amir Dr. Shafiqul Rahman, Dr. Syed Abdullah M. Taher, Maulana A.N.M. Shamsul Islam, Secretary-General Mia Golam Parwar, Assistant Secretary-General Maulana A.T.M. Masum, Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan, Dr. Hamidur Rahman Azad, Maulana Abdul Halim, Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, and central executive members Saiful Alam Khan Milon and Mobarak Hossain.
DBTech/MUM/SS/OR
