Push for increased investment in HR

CHATTOGRAM, Aug 28: Speakers at a port city event stressed the need for increased investment in human resource development in order to promote sustained development in the country.
They called for honing skills of the country's trained workforce and develop that of unskilled ones in order to face various challenges posed by other competitors in the international market.
Competitive advantage in world trade is quite a tricky subject to grasp, they noted stressing that increased investment in Bangladesh's human resource development especially that in logistics sector is required to build a skilled manpower with which the country can make an inroad deep into the global market and stay competitive there by dealing with tough contests coming from other countries who will waste no time to grab the opportunities being created amidst the rising international trade.
The observations were made at the event titled 'An eye on Vision 2041 of Freight and Forwarding and Logistic Sectors' Skill Development', at Radison Blu hotel in the port city on Sunday.
Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association (BAFFA) organised the programme with support from USAID Feed the Future Bangladesh Trade Activity.
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury was present as the chief guest at the event chaired by BAFFA president Kabir Ahmed.
A total of 230 participants from BAFFA, FBCCI, academia and other stakeholders took part.
Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said, Chittagong Port is not only an important port in Bangladesh but now it has also grown into a regional hub of maritime connectivity.
Bangladesh has now arrived at a turning point from where it will graduate from a least developed country to a developing nation. "We need skilled manpower for sustainable development. We have young people who can change Bangladesh's economy. They can work for the development of the country," he added.
He also mentioned that the Chittagong Port has already proved its capabilities to cope with crises that may come in future by demonstrating its high skill of operational activities during the coronavirus outbreak in 2020 and 2021.
Chairman of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Rear Admiral Mohammad Shahjahan was present as the special guest. BAFFA Senior Vice President Amirul Islam Chowdhury (Mizan) delivered the welcome speech while noted academician Dr. Emon Kalyan Chowdhury of Chittagong Independent University was the keynote speaker.
Besdies, Chief of Party, Feed the Future Bangladesh Trade Activity Marc Shiman, President of Japan-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry Asif A Chowdhury, Executive Director of Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur and Vice-Chancellor of East Delta University Professor Muhammad Sikandar Khan also addressed the function.
The BAFFA with support from USAID Feed the Future Bangladesh Trade Activity, in association with CIUB will introduce a 'Diploma in logistics and supply chain management' to help create a pool of qualified human resources to serve the country's logistics sector.

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