Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has directed authorities to take action to prevent forgery and use of fake skills training certificates in order to protect Bangladesh’s reputation in the global labour market.
He said that while there is strong global demand for Bangladeshi workers, the reputation of the country’s workforce is being harmed due to forged certificates and fraudulent practices in skills training.
He made the remarks on Sunday while presiding over a meeting of the Governing Body of the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA) at the Chief Adviser’s Office in Tejgaon, Dhaka. This was the second Governing Body meeting of the NSDA since its establishment in 2018; the first meeting was held in 2022.
In his address, the Chief Adviser said that the NSDA provides a strong framework for developing skilled human resources based on the needs of both national and international labour markets. He added that the authority would become even more important as global demand for Bangladeshi workers continues to grow.
Warning that skills development initiatives would fail if employers lose confidence, he stressed that all forms of certificate forgery must be stopped.
Emphasizing the importance of building the country’s brand image, the Chief Adviser said employers should be able to say with confidence that workers coming from Bangladesh will perform well.
He expressed hope that the NSDA’s initiative to introduce a unified certification system across all training institutions would play a significant role in preventing such fraud.
The Chief Adviser also noted that Bangladesh’s young generation is highly creative and full of potential, adding that it is the responsibility of the state to open doors of opportunity for them. In this regard, he underscored the need for necessary initiatives and coordination to enable private entrepreneurs to work in a more transparent and effective manner.
During the meeting, alongside a review of progress in implementing decisions taken at the previous meeting, a decision was made to establish an integrated skills ecosystem. Under this system, common curricula and standards will be ensured for training programmes conducted by different ministries. Once fully implemented, the system is expected to enhance the quality and credibility of certificates in the international market, reduce wastage of public funds, and facilitate centralized and effective planning and implementation for workforce development based on industry demand.
The Governing Body also approved the NSDA’s long-term goals to address global challenges following Bangladesh’s graduation from LDC status. Key elements of these plans include conducting skills gap analyses in emerging sectors, bringing all development projects under the NSDA curriculum and competency standards, aligning the Bangladesh National Qualifications Framework with international benchmarks, and bringing the large informal workforce under the national skills certification system through recognition of prior learning. Other issues discussed included the issuance of Continuous Discharge Certificates (CDC) to students trained at Institutes of Marine Technology under the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.
The meeting was attended by Adviser for Shipping and Labour and Employment Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, Adviser of the Ministries of Housing and Public Works, Industries and Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Adilur Rahman Khan, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, the Principal Secretary to the Chief Adviser, the Executive Chairman of the NSDA, secretaries of various ministries, and other senior officials.