Bangladesh's content industry is experiencing growth, driven by an expanding media landscape and increasing digital consumption. However, the post-production sector faces challenges due to limited access to advanced technology, specialized training, and global markets. Recognizing the potential for green job creation within this sector, the Korea-World Bank Partnership Facility (KWPF) has provided a $2.7 million grant named "Bangladesh Human Capital Acceleration." This initiative aims to transform Bangladesh’s creative economy into a sustainable employment source by leveraging Korea’s expertise in green growth strategies.
The World Bank grant task team is led by Eun Joo Allison Yi, Senior Environmental Specialist, and Tashmina Rahman, Senior Education Specialist. They are supported by Syed Rashed Al-Zayed Josh (Senior Economist), Joya Chowdhury (Education Specialist - Consultant), and Rezwan Shahriar Sumit (Consultant - Film Director). The team focuses on accelerating green jobs in Bangladesh through integrating green skills into education and workforce development while strengthening institutional policies for sustainable growth.
Post-production is crucial as it brings storytelling to life through visuals, sound, and special effects. Despite being a multi-billion-dollar global market, Bangladesh's entertainment sector still struggles with limited infrastructure and lack of formal training. To address these issues, the World Bank launched the PostPro TalentLab in May 2024 to equip professionals with necessary skills and networks.
PostPro TalentLab serves as both a training program and an incubator for talent collaboration. It selected 22 emerging professionals who underwent a six-month curriculum covering editing, color grading, sound design, among others. Mentored by international experts, they engaged in masterclasses on industry trends and participated in real-world projects like short film production.
In addition to skill-building, PostPro TalentLab engaged private sector stakeholders through policy dialogues and networking events involving global streaming platforms and local production houses. The focus was on exploring investment opportunities for skilled professionals.
The future of Bangladesh’s post-production industry depends on innovation and sustainability. Investments in energy-efficient studios and digital workflows can enhance productivity while reducing costs. As demand for high-quality content grows globally and locally, adopting eco-friendly practices offers strategic advantages.
Korea's involvement played a significant role in this project by sharing its success in building a world-class creative industry. Korean experts mentored fellows directly during masterclasses designed for students, educators, professionals alike throughout Showcase Week held in November 2024 featuring discussions on emerging trends within film & gaming sectors led by institutions such as School of Film at Korean National University Arts or Busan International Film Festival among others from Singapore too!
While PostPro TalentLab laid foundations further work remains essential scaling up efforts including formalized programs state-of-the-art facilities fostering co-productions international distribution opportunities alongside policy frameworks attracting investors ultimately contributing ongoing World Bank operations like EARN ASSET projects creating job pathways NEET youth reinforcing competitiveness expanding pathways fostering competitive ecosystem forward-thinking actions collaborations enabling vibrant hub excellence innovation