Hundreds of youths in Rajshahi are transforming their lives by becoming successful entrepreneurs after receiving skill development training and credit support from the Department of Youth Development.
Among them, Ripa Khatun is a striking example. After completing a three-month training course from the DYD in 2018, she started a boutique business with an investment of around Tk 1 lakh. Later, she received an institutional loan worth Tk 60,000 to expand her business. Following further entrepreneurship training, she took an entrepreneurship loan of Tk 3.5 lakh to grow her venture even more.
Talking to BSS, Ripa said, my capital now stands at around Tk 37 lakh with 12 manpower, including three family members, and my annual net profit is about Tk 10.25 lakh.
A graduate of Rajshahi University, she explained how she chose to become a successful entrepreneur through hard work rather than searching for a job. She now runs Ripa Boutique from her home in Maskatadighi area under Matiher Police Station, manufacturing and selling block and screen-printed sarees, three-piece suits, one-piece and two-piece garments, bedsheets, cushion covers, baby dresses, decorated kanthas, and Punjabi dresses.
Another inspiring story is that of Piarul Islam from Bamanshikar village under Paba Upazila, who has become a role model in fish, poultry, and dairy farming.
I now own farms spread over 22 bighas of fish ponds, 15,000 poultry birds, and ten cattle, along with fruit orchards on about 25 bighas of land, he said. His annual net profit is around Tk 1.05 crore.
Last fiscal year, the DYD trained a total of 5,726 youths in Rajshahi district to help them become self-reliant. The department also provided loans totaling Tk 3.74 crore to 729 trained youths, while 926 others secured jobs through the DYD鈥檚 self-employment generation program.
Golam Mahabub, Deputy Director of the DYD, said, 鈥榃e arranged institutional and non-institutional training for demand-driven income-generating trades during the last financial year.鈥�
He added that 12 youth organizations in the district have been registered to further strengthen youth engagement at the upazila level.
Mahabub noted that many young men received training in fisheries, poultry, dairy, cattle fattening, and animal husbandry, while young women were trained in tailoring, sewing, block printing, boutique work, and computer skills.
鈥楽teps were taken to make young men and women self-reliant through diversified training and financial assistance,鈥� he said.
In addition to economic empowerment, beneficiaries were encouraged to help prevent child marriage and dowry, promote safe maternity and sanitation, and combat drug addiction, terrorism, and extremism.
Youth organisations were also motivated to support environmental protection by planting and caring for trees. So far, nearly 100,000 trees including 2,305 in the last financial year have been planted at the upazila and village levels.
Golam Mahabub emphasised that the DYD continues to focus on empowering youth through skill development and loan access without collateral.
鈥楾he ceiling of youth loans has been increased at all levels to create more self-employment opportunities,鈥� he said. He also highlighted the government鈥檚 commitment to providing job-oriented training and expanding employment opportunities abroad for the youth.
Rezaul Alam Sarker, additional commissioner of Rajshahi Division, told BSS, 鈥楾he country will progress successfully through the power of its youth, many of whom have already transformed themselves into successful entrepreneurs.鈥�
He recalled the significant role youths played in the democratic movement during the mass upsurge on August 5, 2024, and stressed that the energy and potential of young people must be prioritized in nation-building efforts.