Is Bangladesh ready to turn vast human resources into skilled workforce adding to increased productivity in mills and factories or in any other economic ventures? Efforts in this regard have so far been lop-sided, only limited to decisions and speeches. As a result, most of workers in the country remain where they are: an unskilled labour force serving as a drag on the economy. Even Japanese investors have taken note of this.
Happily, the government is working on development of economic zones and special economic zones in different parts of the country. Foreign investors have shown great interest in setting up industrial units aiming at producing exportable goods. But where will these units get skilled workers to match with modern technology the foreign investors are supposed to bring in?
Today, thousands of yet-to-be documented foreign worker are employed in the country's garment and other industries taking full advantage of skills shortage in the country. These jobs could have been grabbed by Bangladeshi workers. According to an estimate, at present around 0.3 million foreigners are working in different organisations in Bangladesh, repatriating $ 3.5 billion of their salaries to their respective countries.
Even donor agencies have evinced their keen interest in funding projects that will produce skilled work force in the country.
The Asian Development Bank has projected that by 2025, Bangladesh will have 78 million workers, up from 56.7 million. However, the country will only be able to take advantage of this demographic shift if it makes urgent investments in higher-quality schooling and at least a fourfold increase in skills training.
The ADB has lent $350 million to Bangladesh to help public and private institutions scale up skills training for 1.25 million young workers. The training will help the young be well-equipped to find jobs and meet the changing needs of present labour market.
Bringing together the public sector with the private sector to provide the vocational and technical skills that employers seek will mean more and better-paid jobs and shift economy to a higher level.
According to a survey, two thirds of the Bangladesh workforce has only minimal education and only 4 percent has received any kind of training. Moreover, the existing skills development system can only meet about 20 per cent of training needs, meaning many youth cannot find good jobs, underemployment is rife, and wages remain low. Women, in particular, suffer from a lack of skills training.
In order to make young workforce skilled, the education ministry can introduce skills curriculum in schools and colleges so that students learn different skills compulsorily. Higher education should be limited to only brilliant students who can take the reins of leadership in different fields. This will eliminate all technical institutes which have mushroom growth in upazilas and districts without any qualified trainers and appropriate equipment.
Skilled workforce will have a positive bearing on the size of workers' remittances from abroad. Higher remittances will result from increased salaries and wages skilled workers get abroad.
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Looming crisis of skills
Rahman Jahangir | Published: April 18, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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