The people of Bangladesh are her asset, not a burden: Hasina

She believes, however, that the education system needs a major overhaul.

“The increase in population is not a matter of concern. But many are sounding the alarm about the increase in the population, ”she said Thursday.

“If we can give them an education, strengthen them with appropriate training, this workforce will be our greatest asset”,

The Prime Minister made the remarks during the inauguration of the “International Conference on Skills for the Future World of Work and TVET for Global Competitiveness” at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka.

The three-day event will focus on the future demand for skilled labor and the process of ensuring quality demand-driven technical and vocational education and training (TVET).

According to the latest data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), more than 161 million people currently live in the country and Dhaka is the most densely populated city in the world.

Hasina explained how the multidimensional use of new technologies is rapidly changing people’s lives.

She said people are taking advantage of the technology and changing the production system, reducing employment opportunities.

“Now skill is the only thing that ensures sustainable development and jobs.”

Hasina said that “the main goal of the world is to reduce poverty and improve the living conditions of people using science and technology.”

According to her, Bangladesh occupies an advantageous position in global demographics, as 49% of its population is young and under the age of 24.

The Prime Minister insisted on making the “demographic dividend useful” and said his government was active in using this benefit.

“Many projects favoring the generation of manpower have already been initiated. The government aims to create a skilled and knowledge-based society.

“A skilled workforce is capable of further advancing the overall development of the country,” she observed.

“The education system needs massive restructuring” and knowledge-based skills and hands-on learning need to be integrated to build the workforce for development, she noted.

The number of students in the technical and vocational stream was only 1.8% when the Awami League came to power in 1996.

“Now the number has risen to 14% due to initiatives by my government,” Hasina said on Thursday’s broadcast.

The government also plans to increase the number of students in this environment to 20% in 2020, 30% by 2030 and 50% by 2040, she added.