Language Skills Key to Skilled Workforce

Bangladesh must develop a skilled workforce by combining language proficiency with technical knowledge to achieve its ambition of becoming a trillion-dollar economy by 2034, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj has said. He stressed the need to expand young people’s technical capabilities, communication skills and proficiency in internationally important languages.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at the award ceremony of the fourth International Language League competition, held on 10 October, Saturday at North South University in Dhaka.

Language is not merely a means of communication but also an important tool for acquiring skills, exchanging knowledge and advancing social and economic development, Hajjaj said. Proficiency in expressing ideas clearly can broaden an individual’s opportunities and influence educational achievement, career development and professional advancement.

He said language education should not be confined to achieving good examination results. Instead, it should help learners communicate effectively and develop practical skills for real-life situations.

Drawing on China’s experience, the state minister said enriching scientific and academic terminology in a country’s own language and creating opportunities to pursue knowledge in that language can contribute significantly to national capacity and skills development.

Bangladesh should similarly expand scientific and technological learning in Bangla while strengthening proficiency in international languages, he said. Such an approach could improve the country’s capacity for knowledge exchange, international communication and participation in global trade.

Hajjaj said developing a skilled workforce was essential to realising Bangladesh’s ambition of reaching a trillion-dollar economy by 2034. He called for broader opportunities to acquire technical knowledge, communication skills and proficiency in internationally important languages, including English and Chinese.

Urging the country to build on young people’s achievements in language learning as a foundation for wider skills development, he called on universities to play a more active role in the process.

The ceremony was chaired by North South University Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury. Special guests included Benzeer Ahmed, a member of the university’s Board of Trustees, and the Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh. Teachers, students and other stakeholders from various educational institutions also attended the event.

//DBTech/TMP/SME/DPO//