The National Skills Dialogue 2026 was held on Tuesday at Hotel Sheraton, Banani, bringing together leaders from education, training, policy, and workforce development to discuss Bangladesh’s national vision on skills, employment, and workforce readiness.
The dialogue highlighted the urgent need for Bangladesh to transition from being primarily a labor-exporting country to becoming a skill-exporting nation, capable of competing globally through productivity, professionalism, and certified competencies. Speakers emphasized that skills must be treated as a national asset and long-term investment rather than a limited sectoral concern.
The session was chaired by Dr K M Hasan Ripon, President of the Trainers’ Association of Bangladesh, who stated that skills are the currency of the future and that Bangladesh must prepare its youth not only for employment, but for adaptability and global competitiveness.
Addressing the forum, Yousuf Efti, Founder and Executive Vice President of the Trainers’ Association of Bangladesh, stressed the urgent need for an independent and future-focused human resource development framework. He noted that without a coordinated national mechanism for workforce planning and skills governance, Bangladesh risks continued mismatch between education outcomes and labor market demand.
Dr Md Sabur Khan, President of the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh (APUB), emphasized that universities must move beyond degree-centric models and actively integrate employability, industry exposure, and skills development into academic pathways. He underscored the importance of aligning higher education with national workforce priorities to ensure graduates are job-ready and globally competitive.
The dialogue was attended by Professor Dr Yousuf M Islam, Vice Chancellor of Southeast University; Professor Dr Ireen Akhter, Director of IBA, Jahangirnagar University; legendary trainers Quazi M Ahmed and Nilufar Karim; Monir Hossain, Chairman of Creative IT; and Del H Khan, spokesperson of Janotar Dol.
Senior leaders of the Trainers’ Association of Bangladesh, including General Secretary Laila Naznin, Vice President Mohammad Morad Hossain, and Director (Innovation) Zia Uddin Mahmud, were also present.
The dialogue concluded with a collective call for sustained, non-partisan commitment to building a skilled, employment-ready, and future-focused Bangladesh.