Human capital roadmap eyes $40b GDP boost by 2030

A proposed human capital development roadmap could add an estimated $40 billion to Bangladesh’s gross domestic product by 2030 by boosting private sector productivity, narrowing the skills gap and strengthening the country’s training ecosystem, speakers said at a conference in Dhaka.

The proposal, titled “HRD Corporation Bangladesh”, was unveiled at the International Trainers Conference 2026, organised by the Trainers’ Association of Bangladesh (TAB) at Sheraton Dhaka in Banani on Saturday, according to a press release.

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Modelled on Malaysia’s HRD Corp, the roadmap was jointly presented by Md Yousuf Efti, founder and executive vice-president of TAB, and Prof Dr Yusuf Mahbubul Islam, vice-chancellor of Southeast University.

It proposes establishing a national database of trainers and developing 20,000 internationally certified trainers under the HRD Corporation banner by 2030.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj, the chief guest, called for closer collaboration between the education and training sectors to support sustainable national development.

He urged TAB to submit a comprehensive proposal to the Ministry of Education, saying the government was interested in introducing specialised training modules for primary school teachers focusing on leadership, empathy, communication and team-building.

KM Hasan Ripon, president of TAB, said practical skills had become more important than academic qualifications in today’s competitive corporate environment.

“If we fail to bridge the massive skills gap across our industries, we risk falling behind in the global market,” he said.

Nazneen Kawshar Chowdhury, executive chairman (secretary) of the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA), welcomed the proposal, saying it could make a significant contribution to Bangladesh’s human capital development.

The event brought together more than 500 training experts, academics, corporate leaders and human resource professionals from home and abroad.

Sabur Khan, chairman of Daffodil Group; Md Musharrof Hossain, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Human Resource Organisations; Mohammad Morad Hossain, vice-president of TAB; and Zia Uddin Mahmud, director of innovation, among others, were also present in various panel discussions.