Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, Adviser, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Science and Technology, Bangladesh, urged industrialists to invest in ‘Education and Research’ to bridge the gap in skilled manpower and knowledge in the industrial sector.
He made these remarks as the Chief Guest at the celebration ceremony of the Graduate Diploma in Leather, Leather Goods and Footwear Management program of East West University (EWU) held at the EWU campus in Aftab Nagar on Sunday.
Dr Salehuddin Ahmed said that: “Successful figure like Bill Gates and Elon Musk did not achieve their innovations solely by themselves; their success was built on long-term investments in research.” He highlighted the irony that business leaders in Bangladesh often complains about the lack of skilled manpower but they do not invest in educational and research institutions.
The event was presided over by Professor Dr Mohammed Farashuddin, Chief Adviser of EWU and former Governor of Bangladesh Bank. Other distinguished speakers included Mr. Hoe Yun Jeong, Resident Representative of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Bangladesh, Professor Dr Shams Rahman, Vice Chancellor of EWU, Mohammed Nazmul Hassan, Senior Vice President, Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh, Mohammed Walid Hossain, Additional Secretary, Finance Division, Ministry of Finance and Dr Tanbir Ahmed Chowdhury, Professor, Department of Business Administration, EWU and Program Director of the Graduate Diploma in Leather, Leathergoods, and Footwear Management Program. The ceremony was attended by EWU diploma graduates, faculty members, officers from different sections, officials from the Ministry of Finance and representatives from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) among others.