Service providers appointed for AARNO project; initiative to train 900,000 youths to make them self-reliant

National

Dhaka Magazine Desk

Published: Thursday, 16 July 2026

The AARNO (Financial Progress and Stability) project is being implemented to bring 900,000 youths and young women aged 15 to 35, who are outside education, employment or training, into employment through training. A contract signing ceremony for the appointment of service providers for this project was held.

On Thursday (July 16), the event was held in the meeting room of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, chaired by the Secretary (Routine Duty) of the Ministry, Amina Begum. The chief guest was the Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Md. Aminul Haque.

At the event, the Deputy Minister said the main goal of the AARNO project is to engage the youth in economic activities and create employment opportunities for them. He said the government's priority is to deliver skill development and employment opportunities to the doorsteps of youths and young women.

Emphasizing effective monitoring for the quality implementation of the project, he said it should be considered whether an internationally recognized certificate can be provided alongside the domestic certificate after the training. At the same time, he called for including brief discussions on ethics, morality and social values in each training session.

Under this project, funded by a World Bank loan, 900,000 youths and young women will be trained. Of these, about 60 percent are women. The main goal of the project is to develop their skills, provide employment, and engage them in economic activities as part of implementing the government's election pledges.

Based on the recommendations of the Proposal Evaluation Committee and the World Bank's no-objection, BRAC, Save the Children, CARE Bangladesh, and Dhaka Ahsania Mission have been appointed as service providers for the project.

Also present at the event were the Director General of the Department of Youth Development, Md. Motahar Hossain; Project Director Kazi Mokhlesur Rahman; World Bank Senior Economist and Task Team Leader Syed Rashed Al-Zayed Josh; Additional Project Director (Joint Secretary) Dr. Marina Naznin; and other officials from the ministry, department and project.