Govt to support unemployed youths affected by coronavirus

State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Zahid Ahsan Russel has said that the government has been working to create jobs for the unemployed youths affected by the coronavirus.

In this regard, the Department of Youth Development has undertaken a project titled "Self-Employment and Poverty Reduction in Rural Areas for Youths in Coronavirus Situation", he said.

Russel was addressing an emergency meeting at the conference room of the youth development department in the capital on Tuesday.

Youth and Sports Secretary Md Akhtar Hossain, Director General of the department Akhtaruz Zaman Khan Kabir, and other senior officials of the ministry and the department were also present at the meeting.

The state minister said many people have returned to their villages due to the coronavirus pandemic, but most of them may never get back to their previous state. 

He added, "In order to create employment, we will help these people develop themselves as self-employed with proper training by giving loans."

At the meeting which was held maintaining social distance, the Department of Youth Development was instructed to undertake a project on the subject that could quickly create employments for these youths.

Russel also expressed hope that the nation under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, inspired by the ideals of Bangabandhu, the economy would quickly be brought back to normalcy.

Director General Kabir said self-employment opportunities should be created in villages by curbing the cityward migration tendency of the youths.

The project objectives include reduction of rural poverty by employing job-seeking youths to increase their income and creating employment and self-employment opportunities at the village level through vocational training.

Kabir also added that these vocational training might last for 10-28 workdays depending on the trade.