The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) has called for an emphasis on building skilled manpower to achieve the SDGs.
Importance should be given to setting up technical and vocational training centres in every district and upazila of the country along with conventional educational institutions, the FBCCI urged during a meeting held at the boardroom of FBCCI on Thursday.
FBCCI Senior Vice President Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu was present as the chief guest at the second meeting of the Standing Committee on National Economic Policy and Planning, 8th Five Year Plan, SDG, and Vision 2041.
He said, “The government should focus on creating efficient manpower to achieve various economic and development goals. There is no alternative to building skilled manpower to accelerate further efforts to achieve the SDGs.
“Skilled people are very few in Bangladesh. It is very important to create expert trainers in order to teach the youth of our country. We should bring foreign expert trainers if it is needed.”
Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu called for the establishment of an equal number of technical or technical schools and colleges at the district and upazila levels to align the institutional education curriculum with the industry.
He also urged the government to keep a quota on the import of daily necessities to fulfill the demand of the upcoming month of Ramadan.
At the meeting, FBCCI Vice President MA Momen said, “Sustaining entrepreneurs is essential for the development of the country's economy.”
The financial policies need to be simplified for the new entrepreneurs, he added.
Emphasising on the importance of foreign investment in achieving the SDGs, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Sameer Sattar urged taking steps to increase foreign investments, build skilled manpower, and the development of non-conventional sectors.
At the meeting, the Director in Charge of the committee Dr Nadia Binte Amin said that Government policy cooperation needs to be further enhanced to harness the potential of the SME sector.
The members of the standing committee spoke on economic development as well as the reduction of improvement of inequality, education, Industry-Academia linkage, and women empowerment.
The meeting was presided over by the Chairman of the committee and former Director of FBCCI AKM Shamsuddoha. FBCCI Director Hafez Harun, Md. Nizam Uddin, Akkas Mahmood, Secretary General Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, and others were also present on the occassion.
