Foreigners take home $10b yearly from industrial sector: DCCI president

Foreign workers employed in Bangladesh's industrial sector take home around $10 billion in salaries annually as they hold management positions due to a lack of skilled manpower within the country, Dhaka Chamber President Sameer Sattar has said.

During a seminar titled "Industry-Academia Linkage: Employability of Graduates in the Changing Global Context", organised by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) on Saturday, Sattar noted that without addressing the shortage of skilled labour, Bangladesh would continue to experience the outflow of financial resources to foreign workers.

The DCCI president called for immediate attention to the issue and stressed the urgency of building a skilled and industry-oriented workforce by establishing a strong industry-academia linkage to be able to realise the "Smart Bangladesh" meeting challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

Education Minister Dipu Moni, who was present at the event as the chief guest, echoed Sattar's concerns and stressed the importance of bridging the gap between academia and industry.

She said, "Academicians may question why they need to learn by working in the industry. While people in the industry who know the business may ask why they should go to teachers. You cannot clap with one hand. Both sides will need to come forward. The government is engaged round the clock to facilitate this."

The education minister also highlighted ongoing initiatives by the government to enhance the education system, including the introduction of a new curriculum at the primary level.

She expressed optimism that this measure would contribute to closing the existing skill gap in the future.

She recommended incorporating soft skills into university-level education and emphasised the importance of career counselling, academic master plans, and skill development, including reskilling, upskilling, teamwork, and technology adaptation.

The education minister also highlighted the government's ongoing efforts in skill development through the National Skills Development Authority and various ministries.

She also stressed the need for diversification of education and the commercialisation of research to attract students to sectors such as nursing, modern farming, freelancing, and other industries currently experiencing high demand.

Dr Sayema Haque Bidisha, professor of economics at Dhaka University and research director of South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (Sanem), in her keynote, highlighted that one of the challenges of the labour market of Bangladesh is the absence of strong linkage between the supply and demand sides- primarily between the academia and the industry.

To address the skills mismatch, strong Industry-Academia linkage is needed, she said.

By the year 2027, analytical thinking, creative thinking, artificial intelligence (AI), and big data will have more demand, she noted, adding that technology will create more jobs in the future.

The issue of losing money due to the employment of foreign workers in Bangladesh's industrial sector was further highlighted by Syed Nasim Manzur, Managing Director of Apex Footwear Limited.

He expressed concern over the inadequate supply of skilled labour in the supply chain and the scarcity of technicians in renewable energy and solar panel industries.

Nasim called for private sector representation in curriculum development to ensure the delivery of quality education.

Tuomo Poutiainen, country director of the ILO, highlighted the creation of 100 economic zones in Bangladesh, along with special economic zones.

He emphasised the need for skilled individuals in these zones and stressed the importance of planning and preparing people for future industries.

Nasreen Afroz, executive chairman (Secretary) of the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA), expressed the NSDA's interest in developing skilled manpower for export.

She mentioned the formation of a "Skills Qualification Framework" under the chairmanship of the Education Minister and the establishment of fourteen skills development councils.

Professor Mohammad Abdul Momen from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) emphasised the importance of developing a need-based curriculum, enhancing IT infrastructure, providing skills training, and implementing industry-specific programs.

He also highlighted the need to address the low female participation in the industry and reduce dependence on foreign workers.

Professor Satya Prasad Majumder, vice chancellor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), underscored the significance of collaboration and cooperation between industry and academia.

He encouraged industries to invest in research and development and requested the development of a policy for 4IR.

Prof Dr Md Sazzad Hossain, a member of the University Grants Commission (UGC), announced the UGC's plan to establish an industry-academia platform in the near future.

Imran Khan, former CFO of Snapchat Inc, predicted that ICT, innovation, digital marketing, and IT outsourcing would create vast job opportunities for graduates.