COAST Foundation observes “Youth Entrepreneurship Assembly 2025” in its working areas
Youth Entrepreneurs Are Shaping Bangladesh’s Poverty Reduction Approach
Flexible Financial Support is Imperative for Youth Entrepreneurs’ Sustainable Growth and Social Development
In response to the recent circular from the Microcredit Regulatory Authority (MRA) dated 16 October 2025, COAST Foundation has undertaken a series of initiatives to observe the Government-declared “Youth Entrepreneurship Assembly 2025 and Customer Service” for two weeks. As part of this nationwide celebration, COAST Foundation observed this event across all its microfinance branch offices and has already taken steps to identify promising young entrepreneurs at the grassroots level for inclusion under its micro-enterprise loan programs. In continuation of this activity, COAST Foundation continued to organize this Youth Entrepreneurship Assembly across four districts simultaneously, in Bhola, Barishal, Chattogram, and Cox’s Bazar. The main objectives of this event were to identify potential small-scale youth entrepreneurs in the working areas and inform them about COAST’s microenterprise loan facilities and engage in interactive discussions with these young entrepreneurs to identify local-level business potentials, challenges, and opportunities for future financing and technical support.
At the core of these simultaneous events, COAST Foundation reaffirmed that youth entrepreneurship stands as a pivotal pathway for developing inclusive economic growth and poverty alleviation in Bangladesh. The events emphasized that youth must be enabled with access to finance, training, market, and business linkages if they are to become opportunity creators rather than employment seekers. At the events, participants were reminded that sustainable youth enterprises strengthen local value-chains, promote livelihoods diversification and contribute directly to the resilience of coastal and rural communities.
Over 250 participants gathered, including youths, NGO leaders, government officials including youth development officers, deputy directors, district information officer, etc., CSO members and media representatives. The gatherings brought together more than 120 young entrepreneurs who are current or potential participants regarded in COAST’s MF programs. They shared their impactful stories, their experiences and suggestions with others. These diverse stakeholders engaged in dialogue, shared their experiences, insights, best practices and the way forward for youth-led economic inclusion and ensuring sustainable growth.
In each region, the Regional Program Coordinator (RPC), MF program, COAST Foundation presented the keynote. They highlighted that COAST has been working last 26 years for socio-economic development of coastal poor in twelve coastal districts. It ensures its supports around 40% entrepreneurial development among 1.83 lac current young members. COAST has initiated to identify potential youth entrepreneurs and will ensure necessary support where needed. Nonetheless, it was shared that while Bangladesh’s youth comprise nearly one-third of the total population where only a small percentage have access to entrepreneurship pathways that are properly supported and regulated.
They shared 2 sorts of recommendations. First, recommendations that the organization can implement. These were: a) identify area-wise list of potential and uneducated youths for entrepreneurship development, b) Develop youth-enterprise financing schemes with flexible tenure and reduced interest burden; c) Plan and initiate business proposals across regions, with focus on climate-affected youth, young women, and coastal communities, and d) create value chain or strengthen existing value chain to get the direct benefit.
Apart, there discussed some key recommendations for the government authorities or departments and these were: a) Link or develop partnership with the government to support more youth with access to finance, b) Expand dedicated youth entrepreneurship funds/financial support mechanism at district and sub-district levels, and ensure ease of access for youth enterprises, and c) Facilitate platforms for training, market linkages and real-time scaling support for youth particularly in rural and coastal zones.
While sharing their inspiring speech, a young entrepreneur, Nazmun Nahar, shared her success story. She advised new entrepreneurs not to lose heart and to move forward with adequate training. She started her with a small garments factory business with a BDT 5 lakh loan from the COAST Foundation. Subsequently, she has taken BDT 15 lakh in loans. Currently, her capital is approximately one crore Taka, and the factory employs 45 workers. Another young entrepreneur, Mst. Momena Akhter, from Cox’s Bazar recounted that how she transformed her livelihood after a personal setback by launching a retail clothing business supported through COAST’s MF-loan scheme, and now serves as mentor for other local youths. Also from Barishal district, an entrepreneur shared her inspiring story on how after graduation she choose to return to her home community to set up an aquaculture processing unit, creating jobs for other young people and diversifying local economic activities.
Severel youth development officers, agricultural officers, and fisheries officers emphasized that government policy increasingly recognizes entrepreneurship as a preference for educated youth rather than solely wage employment, and pledged ongoing administrative support for youth start-ups in the region.
A deputy director from the Department of Youth Development and a district information officer noted that young entrepreneurs are becoming one of the key drivers in rural and coastal economies through innovation and technology, and encouraged greater linkages between government support programs, regulatory frameworks and NGO-led enterprise initiatives.
Through these regional gatherings, COAST Foundation has shown its commitment to advancing youth entrepreneurship through vocational education. COAST has shown a clear pathway for young people in rural and coastal areas to become drivers of economic inclusion, resilience and community development particularly in its working areas. The recommendations emerging from these events call for a strengthened partnership between NGOs, the government and the private sector to ensure every young entrepreneur has the means and the environment to realize their potential.
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