Mohammad Ismail Zabiullah, the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Public Administration and a member of the BNP National Standing Committee, has urged young people to become entrepreneurs rather than chase jobs. He said the government would stand by young entrepreneurs and continue providing necessary support to help them establish themselves.

He made the call while speaking as the chief guest at the Meritorious Students and Eminent Personalities Awards 2026, organized by the Greater Noakhali Welfare Association at the BIAM Foundation Auditorium in Dhaka on Friday.

Addressing the youth, the adviser said they must dream big, work hard and learn from failure before standing up again. However, he stressed that becoming a good human being should come first. Good academic results are important, he said, but being a good person in the examination of life is even more important.

He told the students to view their current achievements not as an end but as a new opportunity to move forward. He expressed hope that the talented students of Greater Noakhali would become poets, writers, scientists, teachers, doctors, engineers, administrators and successful entrepreneurs in the future.

The adviser said Greater Noakhali faces various challenges, including floods, river erosion, waterlogging, unemployment, and problems in education and healthcare. However, the region’s potential is far greater than its challenges. He said significant progress could be achieved if successful people from the region at home and abroad supported the younger generation with their experience, knowledge and resources.

He emphasized that change must begin at home. Fulfilling responsibilities toward one’s family, society and community, and standing beside people in need, can bring about significant change. Working for the development of one’s hometown is not narrow regionalism, he said, adding that the positive impact of such efforts could eventually spread across the country.

He further urged students never to forget their roots, families, teachers and communities, no matter how successful they become. Once established, they should also work for the next generation.

He envisioned a Greater Noakhali where no talented student would have to abandon their dreams due to financial hardship, no young person would lose opportunities because of unemployment, and no family would feel helpless in times of crisis.

Speaking as a special guest, State Minister for Planning Junaid Abdur Rahim Saki said developing skilled and humane individuals was essential for national progress. He stressed that students must prepare themselves to meet international standards while cultivating human values, empathy and ethics.

The state minister also emphasized the need to enhance knowledge and skills in line with rapid technological advancements so that students could address the challenges of a changing world and contribute effectively to the development of the country and society.

Speakers at the event underscored the importance of taking effective initiatives to develop promising tourist destinations across Greater Noakhali, including Nijhum Dweep.

Among those present were Financial Institutions Division Secretary Nazma Mobarak; Social Welfare Ministry Secretary Dr. Md. Abu Yusuf; Planning Commission Member Dr. Manzur Hossain; BIAM Foundation Director General Md. Abdul Malek; National Board of Revenue Member Moazzem Hossain; Viqarunnisa Noon School and College Principal Mazeda Begum; Eden Mohila College Principal Shamim Ara; and Greater Noakhali Welfare Association President Mirza Galib.

Students, guardians, politicians, distinguished personalities, prominent figures from Greater Noakhali, and representatives of print and electronic media also attended the event.