Labor minister calls for demand-based training, PPP to build skilled workforce

Dhaka: Labor and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury has called for introducing demand-based training and strengthening public-private partnerships to develop a skilled workforce in Bangladesh.

“Despite having less infrastructure and facilities, private institutions are performing better than government institutions in many areas. If they can do it, why can’t we?” the minister said.

He made the remarks while speaking to journalists after visiting the Bangladesh-Korea Technical Training Centre (BKTTC) and the Women’s Technical Training Centre in Chattogram on October 3.

Chowdhury said the government would conduct a comprehensive review after returning to the ministry to explore how more skilled workers could be produced in Chattogram through technical training.

He said the government plans to identify the industries operating in different regions and determine the skills and training required by those industries before designing training programs accordingly.

“We want to launch such a pilot program from Chattogram,” he said.

The minister also stressed the importance of public-private partnerships for the country’s overall development.

Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain urged Bangladesh’s ambassadors stationed abroad to identify new overseas labor markets and assess the types of jobs in demand in different countries.

“If training can be ensured according to the requirements of foreign markets, it will be possible to develop and export a fully skilled workforce,” he said.