Skilled human resources crucial to cope AI impact on the global economy: speakers | Business

Bangladesh must prioritize developing a highly skilled workforce to keep pace with fast-changing, technology-driven economic activities, speakers said at a roundtable on smart human capital and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) held at the DCCI Auditorium in Dhaka.

Participants emphasized comprehensive reforms across the education ecosystem, rapid expansion of technical and vocational training, adequate and sustained budget allocations for skill-building, stronger coordination among government agencies, and deeper collaboration between industry and academia to align training with market needs.

Human capital at the heart of 4IR and AI

Addressing the session as chief guest, Dr. Nazneen Kawshar Chowdhury, Executive Chairman of the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA), noted that gaps in inter-agency coordination and limited public awareness are holding back the country’s skills agenda. After initially focusing on institutional setup, NSDA is now prioritizing training for human resource development, she said.

Dr. Chowdhury highlighted ongoing initiatives to expand Japanese language training, targeting the deployment of 100,000 skilled workers to Japan with government and academic support. She also underscored the importance of upskilling women and urged integration of skill development with 4IR priorities through stronger public–private partnerships.

In his welcome remarks, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) President Taskeen Ahmed said the 4IR is transforming production systems, business operations, and labor markets far beyond a mere technological shift. Artificial intelligence is already reshaping industrial and service sectors in Bangladesh. Citing global forecasts, he noted that a significant share of current jobs will be transformed within the next five years. In the post-LDC era, he added, smart human resources will be essential for competitiveness, and Bangladesh must gear up for technology-driven employment opportunities through foundational education reforms and closer industry–academia linkages.

Education modernization and technology-first training

Delivering the keynote, Dr. M. Niaz Asadullah, Visiting Professor of Economics at the University of Reading, called for upgrading workers’ technological skills via rigorous, industry-relevant training. He advocated modernizing curricula, embedding advanced technologies in technical and vocational education, and ensuring reliable budget allocations for skill development programs.

Echoing these priorities, Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, President of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB), stressed promoting technical education and shifting societal attitudes to value vocational training on par with academic tracks.

Voices from academia, government, and industry

Other speakers—including Prof. Dr. Shams Rahman, Vice Chancellor of East West University; Mohammed Saiful Hassan of the ICT Division and Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority; Raisul Kabir, CEO of Brain Station 23; Dr. Muhammad Masroor Ali, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at BUET; Khan Muhammad Saqiful Alam, regional senior manager of Data & Analytics at British American Tobacco; and M. Shabbir Ali, corporate head of HR at Transcom Group—reinforced the call for demand-driven training pathways. They pointed to the urgency of data and analytics skills, stronger digital literacy, and agile upskilling models that keep pace with rapid technological change.

In the open floor discussion, former DCCI Vice President M. Abu Hurairah urged expanding technical education and sending more skilled professionals abroad to boost remittance flows. The session also featured contributions from DCCI leaders including Director Zamsher Ali and Standing Committee Convenor Mir Sharukh Islam. Senior Vice President Razeev H. Chowdhury, Vice President Md. Salem Sulaiman, board members, and other stakeholders were in attendance.

Key recommendations highlighted by the roundtable

• Accelerate modernization of the education system, embedding digital, analytical, and problem-solving competencies throughout general, technical, and vocational tracks.
• Rapidly scale technical and vocational education and training (TVET), ensuring industry-aligned curricula and practical, hands-on learning.
• Institutionalize coordination among government agencies to avoid overlap, share data, and streamline certification and placement.
• Ensure predictable budget allocations for skill development, including targeted support for priority sectors and regions.
• Strengthen industry–academia collaboration to co-design courses, internships, apprenticeships, and certification frameworks.
• Promote women’s participation through tailored training, safe learning environments, and career pathways into high-growth tech roles.
• Integrate 4IR technologies—AI, automation, data analytics, cloud, and cybersecurity—into training programs and workplace upskilling.
• Expand language and soft skills training to improve overseas placement prospects and enhance remittance inflows.
• Encourage lifelong learning and micro-credentialing to keep workers adaptable as technologies evolve.

Speakers concluded that building a future-ready workforce is central to Bangladesh’s competitiveness in an AI-driven global economy. With coherent policy, sustained investment, and close public–private collaboration, the country can unlock new employment opportunities, raise productivity, and ensure its citizens thrive amid the accelerating pace of technological change.