Many professional women are forced to take a break from their careers due to family responsibilities and motherhood. However, to ensure that they can return to work even after a long pause, BRAC has introduced a special initiative. Through a program called “Bridge Returnship,” women who stepped away from their careers are being supported in re-entering professional life.

To discuss this initiative, BRAC organized a media briefing on Thursday at the BRAC Centre in Mohakhali. The session began with a welcome speech by BRAC’s Chief People and Culture Officer, Moutushi Kabir. Also present was Najibul Islam Prem, Assistant General Manager of BRAC’s Associate Career and Employer Brand division.

A Special Program to Help Women Return to Work

For this year’s Bridge Returnship program, more than 1,200 applications were received. After several stages of screening and evaluation, 24 women were finally selected.

These participants will work in different BRAC programs for the next six months.

During this period, they will receive skills development training, leadership workshops, and mentoring support. In addition, BRAC will help connect them with private companies, development organizations, and leading corporate institutions, enabling them to find suitable job opportunities based on their qualifications.

Career Break Is Not a Weakness

Moutushi Kabir said that BRAC founder Sir Fazle Hasan Abed once remarked, “In my life, I have never seen a defeated woman.” This belief inspired the launch of the Bridge Returnship program.

She added that taking a temporary break from professional life should never be seen as a weakness. Stepping away from an established career is often a major decision and sometimes a significant risk. However, such a break does not mean a loss of ability or talent. The core objective of this initiative is to create opportunities for skilled and capable women to return to work.

Why Women Leave Their Jobs

An analysis of the applicants’ data shows that the main reasons for career breaks were family responsibilities and maternity.

According to the data,

• 38.8% left their jobs due to family responsibilities.
• 36% took breaks due to maternity.
• 18.8% cited personal reasons.
• 14.4% left for higher education.
• Nearly 8.5% mentioned unfavorable work environments.
• 4.7% pointed to social pressure.

What Motivates Women to Return to Work

Applicants also shared their motivations for returning to professional life after a break.

About 76.5% want to return to advance their careers.
Nearly 56.5% aim for financial independence.
Around 62.2% wish to build their own professional identity.
About 57.7% want to boost their self-confidence.
Meanwhile, 42.7% hope to contribute more to their families.

Duration of Career Breaks

Data analysis shows that most women stayed away from work for a relatively short period.

Among the applicants, 67.9% had career breaks of one to two years. On the other hand, 6.6% had been away from the workforce for more than six years.

In terms of professional experience, 58% of applicants had three to five years of experience, while about 28.6% had more than seven years of experience.

Sharing Experiences

The event also featured a panel discussion. Participants Elizabeth Marandi and Sarah Mahbub, who joined the Bridge Returnship program, shared their experiences. Shahnaz Sharmin, Special Correspondent of Ekattor Television, also spoke about her views on the initiative.

BRAC launched the Bridge Returnship program last year. In its first year, 15 women were selected from nearly 1,100 applicants.

BRAC hopes that through this initiative, women who had to step away from their careers will gain stronger opportunities to return to professional life and continue their journey.