Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has announced a BDT 500 crore fund dedicated to the country's young entrepreneurs.

He made the announcement in a message issued on Saturday (October 31) on the occasion of National Youth Day 2026, which will be observed tomorrow, November 1.

In his message, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman stated that the government is implementing various initiatives to harness the talent, skills, and creativity of young people. As part of these efforts, a BDT 500 crore startup fund has been announced to support promising young entrepreneurs.

He emphasized that youth have contributed significantly at every stage—from the establishment of an independent and sovereign Bangladesh to responding to national crises and driving development. The young generation, he noted, is the driving force and vital energy of any nation.

The Prime Minister recalled that recognizing the potential of young people, the martyred President Ziaur Rahman took the initiative to establish the Ministry of Youth Development in 1978, which later became known as the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

To expand youth development activities to the grassroots level, the Department of Youth Development was established in 1981.

Later, in 1991, former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia initiated the setup of youth training centers across all districts to increase employment opportunities and foster self-reliance through technical and practical training.

Highlighting the achievements of the Department of Youth Development, he shared that over 8 million young men and women have received skill development training of varying durations so far.

Among them, nearly 2.5 million have become self-reliant through self-employment, with many earning between BDT 20,000 and BDT 100,000 per month, and some even more.

The Prime Minister also noted that BDT 2,861.87 crore in youth loans has been distributed up to June 2026 to provide financial assistance to young entrepreneurs.

Describing the National Youth Award as a key initiative to recognize contributions made by the youth, Tarique Rahman stated that 546 self-employed men, women, and youth organizers have received this honor to date for their role in nation-building. He extended his congratulations to this year's award recipients.

To stay competitive in today's world, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of acquiring technical and technological skills alongside formal education. He emphasized that mastering modern knowledge and technology is essential for the youth in a rapidly changing global context.

Tarique Rahman added that immediately after taking office, the government launched training projects in artificial intelligence (AI). Through these freelancing and AI-focused programs, young people are not only gaining skills but also earning foreign currency through online work.

He also highlighted the growing involvement of youth in environmental protection, noting that under the IMPACT project, young individuals are helping safeguard the environment by establishing biogas plants.

Looking ahead at future employment and economic opportunities, he stressed expanding training programs into emerging sectors, including smart agriculture, export-oriented packaging, food processing, and foreign language learning.

Through these initiatives, the Prime Minister expressed hope of building a modern, skilled workforce capable of competing internationally.

Reiterating the government's new initiative for young entrepreneurs, Tarique Rahman stated that to ensure promising innovative ventures do not stall due to a lack of funds, a BDT 500 crore startup fund has been announced.

For the first time in the country, steps have also been taken to allocate a dedicated budget for the startup sector.

He expressed optimism that these steps would expand and enhance the role of youth in national development, leadership, and future progress.

At the same time, the Prime Minister urged the country's youth to actively participate in national growth by developing their talents, innovative ideas, and technological capabilities.

Finally, he wished full success to all programs organized on the occasion of National Youth Day 2026.