The government is implementing 10 projects through the Department of Youth Development (DYD) and has taken initiatives to launch six more to promote self-employment and entrepreneurship among unemployed young people across the country, State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque told Parliament on Tuesday.

The state minister made the announcement in response to a starred question from ruling party lawmaker Mostafizur Rahman Babul (Jamalpur-3).

He said the ongoing projects include the Technology Empowerment Centre on Wheels for the Underprivileged Rural People of Bangladesh (2nd Phase), Integrated Resource Management through Extensive Technology for Poverty Alleviation (3rd Phase, 1st Revised), Life Skills Education at Youth Training Center and Strengthening the National Youth Platform (LYTC & SNYP Life Skills Project), and Economic Acceleration and Resilience for NEET (EARN).

Other projects currently under implementation are Leaving No One Behind: Improving Skills and Economic Opportunities for Women and Youth in Cox's Bazar (ISEC), Feasibility Study for New Projects of the Department of Youth Development, Expansion and Modernisation of the Central Human Resource Development Centre, Capacity Enhancement of the Department of Youth Development for Providing ICT Training in 64 Districts (2nd Phase), Freelancing Training for Educated Job-seeking Youths in All 64 Districts, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based Skills Development for ICT-skilled Youths.

Aminul also said six priority projects that can be implemented quickly and are expected to have a visible impact on employment and self-employment by transforming unemployed young people into skilled human resources.

The proposed projects include Strengthening Upazila-level Training Activities for Employment and Self-employment (2nd Phase), Vehicle Driving Training Project (2nd Phase), Caregiver Development Project for Providing Services to Physically and Mentally Disabled Citizens, Freelancing Training for Unemployed Youths in All Metropolitan Cities, and Mobile Servicing and Language Training for Unemployed Youths in Metropolitan Cities to Facilitate Employment at Home and Abroad.

The parliamentary sitting resumed at around 11am  with Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal in the chair.