Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today advised youngsters to use their talents in creating employment opportunities and urged them to be more enterprising.

She also expressed hope that “Mujib Year” will be marked with the generation of employment for all.

Young people have to come up with innovative ideas, be more efficient and use their strengths to enhance the country’s job market, the premier stressed while giving away the National Youth Award 2019 at her office.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today awarded 22 self-employed young people and five youth organisers in recognition of their contribution towards generating employment for themselves and others.

The premier also said many people still think that freelancing is not a job despite their earning and said that this mindset needs to be changed. She also assured of doing everything needed for the youth to flourish.

The premier simultaneously called upon the youth to stay away from terrorism, militancy, narcotics and corruption.

State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Zahid Ahsan Russel presided over the function, while Youth and Sports Secretary Md Akhter Hossain delivered the welcome speech.

Director General of the Department of Youth Development Akhtaruz Zaman Khan Kabir was also on the dais.

Engineer Md Atikur Rahman, who secured the award as the country’s best successful self-employed young person, and Parveen Akter, who received the award as the country’s best youth organiser under the women’s category, spoke on the occasion on behalf of the recipients.

Atikur of Kalai Upazila in Joypurhat developed a fisheries and livestock farm after he was trained from the local office of the Department of Youth Development.

Now his farm is worth over Tk five crore and he employs some 115 workers.