For expanding BUET

Bangladesh is a densely populated country where land is very scarce. Possibility of expanding the agriculture sector is therefore limited. In a situation like this, the government has been striving to achieve the status of a middle-income country by 2021. Industrialization could possibly be the only strategy to achieve the target. Now, to set up industrial units will require huge technical and professional work force. Any shortage of technical and professional work force will indeed be a major impediment to economic development. That means, a large portion of the population is to be transformed into technically and professionally skilled manpower. The transformation will take a few years to materialize. We all know, that many industrial units of the country have been engaging foreign technical hands at exorbitant pay packages, since technically educated and trained work force is not available in the country at present.
I think, the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) which has achieved international recognition in engineering study in South Asia, can be geared up to cater to the rising demand of technically efficient work force. The institution has ample scope for expansion where necessary infrastructure could be built. In addition to physical infrastructure, extended  curricular programmes can be introduced along with recruitment of more teaching staff.
The authorities concerned should take a pragmatic approach for expansion of BUET to accommodate more students to cater to the future demand of technical personnel.
Md. Ashraf Hossain
mah120cb@yahoo.com