Create skilled workforce to face global challenges

Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said on Saturday that there is no alternative to developing skilled human resources in the country to face the upcoming global challenges.

Becoming a higher middle income country and then a developed one would only be possible through transforming the population into skilled manpower, she said.

If the country's people could be developed into human resources, it would be possible to ensure inclusive development as well, she added.

Dr Shirin spoke as the chief guest at the International Skills Conference-2019 organised by the Technical and Madrasah Education Division at a city hotel.

She also emphasised the need for establishing a poverty- and hunger-free Bangladesh through achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

And only a skilled workforce can make it possible, she said.

She informed the audience that the rate of poverty has declined to 22 per cent from 40 per cent in the last one decade.

Dr Shirin also said the country's present leadership has made substantial progress in creating infrastructure for producing skilled manpower.

Noting that Bangladesh is moving forward under the guidance of the present leadership, she said once skilled workforce is created, the poverty rate will decline further.

Alongside general education, technical and vocational education is playing an important role in creating skilled manpower in the country, she added.

Chaired by Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, the conference was also addressed by Planning Minister MA Mannan, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury and Technical and Madrasah Education Division secretary Md Alamgir.

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