Prothom Alo :
What is actually preventing us from producing more skilled workers?
Nurul Islam: The problem is not with producing skilled workers. Bangladesh already has many institutions that provide skills training. There are numerous projects and several ministries involved.
The Ministry of Education, through its Technical and Madrasa Education Division, is one of the largest providers of skills training.
Under the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA), currently 23 ministries and agencies are engaged in skills development. The NSDA itself operates under the Prime Minister’s Office.
The main problem is that we do not actually know what skills are in demand overseas. We have no comprehensive data or studies identifying which trades are needed, what level of expertise employers require, or what certifications they expect.
We often say there is huge demand for skilled workers, but we do not know the specific qualifications or competency levels required. As a result, we train people, but when they go abroad, employers tell them their skills do not match the job requirements.
Take welding as an example. Bangladesh has reasonably good facilities for training welders, even at advanced levels. If we could identify where welders are needed and what level of certification employers require, we could send highly skilled welders abroad who would earn good salaries. But that information is missing. Instead, we simply keep saying there is enormous demand for caregivers across Europe, Japan and South Korea.
However, we do not identify what standards those caregivers must meet. What language proficiency do they need? What communication skills, soft skills or basic qualifications are required? We do not address these questions.
Everywhere—from talk shows to seminars—we hear that there is huge demand for caregivers. Bangladesh is producing caregivers, but they are unable to secure jobs overseas because their qualifications do not match employers' requirements. Different countries require different language skills, and without those language skills they cannot qualify. The same problem applies to technical occupations such as electricians and welders. Their skills often fail to match what foreign employers are looking for.
What is the reason?
Nurul Islam: The reason is simple. We have never systematically assessed overseas labour market requirements. We may consult local employers when designing training programmes, but we rarely do the same for international markets. Our project, in particular, has much stronger links with employers than most other initiatives. Many regular programmes run by the Directorate of Technical Education have virtually no connection with employers; they simply train people without ensuring industry relevance.
Some projects, such as the ASSET project and previously the STEP project, had some employer engagement. But I would argue that our current Skills for Industry Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (SICIP) has the strongest employer connections.
Earlier programmes included the Skills for Employment Investment Programme (SEIP), while the current initiative is the Skills for Industry Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (SICIP). These programmes have worked closely with employers and industry associations—for example, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA)—to design training for the domestic labour market.
However, we still have no mechanism to verify international labour demand. This is something the relevant ministry or the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) should do regularly. We conducted one study in 2018 on labour demand in different countries, but it was never meaningfully implemented.
That 2018 study covered 53 countries. The idea was to use its findings to redesign our training programmes, but the recommendations were never implemented. I completed the study in 2018, and by the time the report was finalised in 2019, I had already left. BMET still has that report. I do not know whether it remains available on its website, especially since the website no longer contains much useful information.
The report can still be found at BMET, although it is now eight years old. Such studies should be updated regularly, but that has not happened.
What are the challenges?
Nurul Islam: Technical Training Centres (TTCs) continue to operate, but their biggest challenge is a severe shortage of staff. A few of the larger centres have some personnel, but the smaller ones—particularly those at the upazila level—have effectively become one-person operations.
In many cases, there is only a principal and almost no other staff. Under such circumstances, who will maintain the equipment? There are no security guards, no support staff and not enough teachers. Who will conduct the training? This is the reality in most upazila-level TTCs, while the larger centres have comparatively better staffing.
Human resources are therefore a major challenge. Training facilities also need regular upgrading because technology changes rapidly. Equipment that is current today may become outdated within two years. Teachers also need continuous training on new technologies, but TTCs have no regular system for that. They simply wait for donor-funded projects to arrange training. If there were a permanent mechanism for teacher training, this problem could be addressed.
Training has certainly had a positive impact on the employment market. Previously, many people entered jobs—particularly in the garment sector—without any formal training. Factories would recruit workers directly and train them on the job. Now, however, employers have access to a much larger pool of trained workers. Training is no longer limited to machine operators; it now covers compliance, supervisory and human resources positions as well.
We ourselves provide training in around 10 trades. Similar training is being delivered in partnership with BGMEA, the construction sector and BASIS for the software industry. Overall, the impact of training has been significant.
The remaining challenge is that these training programmes still do not match overseas labour market requirements. To address this, we first need to collect accurate information on foreign labour demand and redesign training accordingly.
Second, certification remains a major issue. Bangladesh has two main certifying bodies—the Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB) and the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA)—but neither certification is widely recognised abroad.
Foreign employers generally do not accept BTEB or NSDA certificates because they are unfamiliar with them. The NSDA should have established mutual recognition agreements with countries that employ large numbers of Bangladeshi workers, such as Malaysia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. These agreements would ensure that certificates issued in Bangladesh are accepted overseas.
The Philippines has already achieved this through its Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), whose certifications are internationally recognised in many labour markets. Bangladesh has yet to establish a similar system. Had the NSDA been able to do so, it would have made it much easier for Bangladeshi workers to find jobs abroad and for their skills and training to be recognised internationally.
What would your recommendations be?
Nurul Islam: Since multiple institutions are involved—including the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA) and the National Human Resource Development Fund (NHRDF).
NHRDF is a government institution. Its office is on the fifth floor of Probashi Kallyan Bhaban, where its Managing Director sits. It works with major agencies such as the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) to coordinate skills development initiatives.
If Bangladesh wants to increase skilled migration, the first step is to conduct a comprehensive study of overseas labour market demand. We should learn from countries such as India and the Philippines, which have well-planned systems for sending skilled workers abroad. Bangladesh currently has no such comprehensive strategy.
My recommendation is that we follow the model used by countries like the Philippines. They identify exactly what types of skilled workers are needed abroad—from managers to technical staff—and obtain detailed information on overseas projects through their embassies. Unfortunately, our embassies do not perform this role effectively. As a result, Bangladesh continues to send mostly cleaners and other low-skilled workers overseas.
These countries collect complete information on large overseas projects and then prepare workers accordingly before sending them abroad. Bangladesh needs to adopt the same approach. Our workers are interested in overseas jobs, even at entry-level positions, but we need to prepare them based on actual demand.
The first step is to study labour market demand in our main destination countries. Bangladesh sends workers to 175 countries, but nine countries account for the overwhelming majority of migrant workers. We should conduct detailed studies in these nine key markets to identify the specific skills employers require.
At the same time, demand is emerging in new destinations. Eastern European countries such as Romania and Bulgaria are seeking workers. There is also some demand in Russia, although the ongoing war makes deployment there inadvisable at present. Western Europe is also experiencing growing demand, but language proficiency is a key requirement. Workers need to learn languages such as Italian and German. There is also strong demand in Japan for skilled workers. If we teach Japanese language skills alongside technical training, we can better prepare workers for that market.
Once overseas demand has been identified, training programmes should be redesigned accordingly. Some Technical Training Centres (TTCs) could be dedicated to specific destination countries. For example, a few TTCs could focus exclusively on Japan, offering both technical training and Japanese language instruction. Others could specialise in preparing workers for Malaysia, while separate centres could focus on the labour market requirements of two or three Middle Eastern countries. This kind of targeted approach is essential.
Another important recommendation involves certification. The certificates we issue in Bangladesh should be recognised overseas. To achieve that, we need to establish cooperation with the skills training and certification authorities of destination countries. Through mutual recognition arrangements, we can ensure that our training programmes and certifications meet their standards and labour market requirements. That would make it much easier for Bangladeshi workers to have their skills recognised and accepted abroad.
Thank you.
Nurul Islam: Thank you too