President Mirza Fakhrul Calls for Skills, Finance and Youth Jobs

By Amara Osei

At the inaugural National Youth Day 2026 on Sunday, President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir called for wider skills-based training, financial support for small entrepreneurs and more employment opportunities for young people in Bangladesh.

He made the appeal as chief guest at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka. Mirza Fakhrul said the country needed to use its large young population to strengthen national capacity and prepare for graduation from the least developed country, or LDC, category.

What economic priorities did the president set?

President Mirza Fakhrul described youth as the country's most valuable human resource and the driving force behind national development. “Bangladesh cannot move forward through political change alone,” he said. He said the country must make young people employment-oriented and equip them with productive skills so they can contribute to the national economy.

How did he back small-business growth?

Referring to the achievements of young entrepreneurs, including women, Mirza Fakhrul said many were expanding their businesses and exporting products despite limited capital. He said the government should provide proper training and minimum financial assistance so aspiring entrepreneurs could become self-reliant.

He also called for expanded Department of Youth Development programs across Bangladesh, particularly its training and loan facilities. Mirza Fakhrul said the expansion should allow more young people to benefit from the department’s services nationwide.

Can training connect Bangladeshi workers to jobs?

The president urged Bangladesh to shift toward a need-based education system. He said vocational and technical education deserved greater weight to meet demand in domestic and international labour markets.

Mirza Fakhrul said Bangladesh could earn significantly more foreign currency by sending skilled workers abroad. He called for expanded technical training institutions to support that strategy.

President Mirza Fakhrul also highlighted biogas as an energy source for rural households. He said the technology could help families, particularly livestock farmers, produce energy from animal waste and reduce pressure on Bangladesh’s energy supply.

How did he link youth jobs and drug addiction?

The president expressed concern about growing drug addiction among young people and called for effective measures to address it. He identified unemployment and frustration as contributing factors, linking the response to job creation and greater awareness.

What social priorities shaped his appeal?

Mirza Fakhrul urged young people to stand against violence against women, dowry and all forms of discrimination. He called on community-based organisations and movements to resist those social problems.

He also called for equal opportunities for young women in education, employment, entrepreneurship and leadership. The president placed equal access for young women alongside his call to use the country’s youth population for development.

How did he frame politics and national development?

Referring to Bangladesh’s political transition, Mirza Fakhrul said opportunities created by the establishment of a democratic system should be used for national development. He called on political parties to focus on parliament-centred politics and resolve national issues through discussions in parliament.

The president congratulated recipients of the National Youth Award and Youth Volunteer Award, saying their achievements would inspire other young people. He urged young Bangladeshis to build a self-reliant, skilled, technology-oriented and humane country.

“Never give up. We will continue our struggle and move forward,” Mirza Fakhrul said. His closing appeal followed calls for training, enterprise and employment.

What happened at the ceremony?

State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul Haque received the president at the venue. Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Youth and Sports Md Abul Khair Bhuiyan, acting Secretary Md Mahfuzul Alam Khan and Department of Youth Development Director General Md Motaher Hossain also joined the reception.

After the reception, Mirza Fakhrul visited exhibition stalls showcasing youth activities. He also toured a job fair operating at the conference centre.

If the government adopts his proposals, their economic effect will depend on wider training access, expanded loan facilities and actual job creation for young people. Mirza Fakhrul’s speech put those three priorities at the center of his plan to use Bangladesh’s demographic dividend.