The Bangladesh Agro-Processors’ Association (BAPA) trained 46,056 people between October 2025 and August 2026, with 21,485 of them recorded in employment or self-employment.
The training covered food processing, baking, food preservation, packaging-machine operation, sales and retail, with the aim of opening avenues for employment, entrepreneurship and self-employment, according to a BAPA press release issued yesterday (5 September).
More than 7,000 trainees have joined PRAN Group concerns, while 556 joined Akij Group, 408 Meghna Group, 1,104 TK Group, 912 Bonoful and Kishwan Group, and 288 Hashem Foods, the release stated.
Some others are working at agro-food processing enterprises under BAPA.
Women accounted for 26,096, or nearly 57%, of the trainees who received training under the enterprise-based training programme of the Accelerating and Strengthening Skills for Economic Transformation project, it added.
The programme was completed in 1,919 batches and included 56 people with disabilities and 558 members of ethnic minority communities.
“This training programme has created a major opportunity to develop skilled workers for the country’s agro-food and food-processing industry. Almost 94% of the trainees assessed were found competent,” BAPA President Mahbub Anam said.
He also said that the initiatives would continue to increase employment opportunities for skilled trainees by building stronger links between BAPA member industries and relevant training institutions.
The National Skills Development Authority has so far assessed 31,684 trainees for their skill levels, with 29,637 found eligible for jobs, according to the release.
The remaining trainees will also undergo the assessment, the association said.
The training was provided at industrial and training centres in Narsingdi, Natore, Gazipur, Godagari, Habiganj, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Barishal, Chattogram, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Bogura, Pabna and some other hubs.
It combines classroom learning with hands-on industry experience in production processes, machinery use, workplace safety and quality control.
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