Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the parliament that her government has set a target of creating 15 million crore new jobs in the next five years.
“Yes, it’s true that our government has set a target of creating 15 million jobs in the next five years,” she said in reply to a question from treasury bench member M Abdul Latif of Chittagong, during her question/answer session in parliament on Wednesday.
The prime minister said that based on the strategies, and targets of the seventh five-year plan (2016-2020), the government has taken numerous steps to turn the young generation of Bangladeshis into a skilled workforce.
Sheikh Hasina, who is also the leader of the House, added that the government's steps include; establishment of the National Skill Development Authority under the Prime Minister’s Office, and setting up Employment and Manpower Office in 64 districts including the four divisions.
Sheikh Hasina said projects have been taken to establish 100 technical training schools at the upazila level, and the introduction of double shifts in the existing technical schools, colleges, and polytechnic institutions.
The leader of the House said one polytechnic institute will be set up in each district, and one technical school and college will be established in each of the 389 upazilas.
The premier said, under the seventh five-year plan, 12.9 million additional employments will be created which includes 2 million job opportunities for expatriate workers.
“It’s expected that the present trend of employment for the expatriate workers will continue,” she said, adding that 880,000 workers from Bangladesh went abroad in the FY2017-18.
Sheikh Hasina said, about 2 million youths enter the labour market every year. Creating employment for this huge workforce is a challenging task, she emphasized. “So, the Awami League government has been working relentlessly to ensure a better life for the people, by creating more employment through massive industrialization,” she added.
The leader of the House said, Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) has taken initiatives to establish 100 economic zones by 2030 in all potential areas of the country.
Sheikh Hasina said she inaugurated the development activities of 13 economic zones, and opened 11 economic zones which are suitable to setup industries, on April 3 last.
The leader of the House said the selection of the sites for establishing 88 economic zones in different districts has already been completed.
“With the completion of 100 economic zones, direct and indirect employment will be created for nearly 1 crore people,” she said.
The prime minister said, employment for 3,05,242 people was created in the export processing zones(EPZs) in the last 10 years.
She underscored that the country needs to gear up now to prepare its workforce for the challenges, and opportunities that are being driven by technological changes.
