National dialogue calls for TVET to become a national priority for a skilled and productive Bangladesh

Policymakers, government officials, industry leaders, educationists, and technical education experts have called for a major shift in Bangladesh's education and skills-development priorities, emphasising that technical and vocational education and training (TVET) must become a mainstream pathway to employment, productivity, and national development rather than being viewed as a secondary educational option.

The call came at “A National Dialogue on TVET for a Skilled & Productive Bangladesh”, organised by the Bangladesh Polytechnic Institutes Forum and jointly hosted by Daffodil Polytechnic Institute and CCN Polytechnic Institute on August 23, 2026.

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The dialogue brought together policymakers, regulators, representatives of government agencies, polytechnic institutes, industry leaders, employers, and skills-development experts to discuss how Bangladesh can transform its large working-age population into a skilled, employable, and globally competitive workforce.

Education minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon attended the programme as the chief guest, while Saiyed Bin Abdullah, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Employment of Bangladesh, was present as the guest of honour. Dr Md Sabur Khan, Chairman of Daffodil Group and Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Daffodil International University, delivered the keynote speech.

Among the representatives of leading institutions and government agencies associated with technical education and skills development were Md Daud Mia, NDC, Secretary of the Bangladesh Technical Education Board; Abul Khair Md Akkas Ali, Director General of the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE); and Mir Zahid Hasan, Project Director of the ‘Accelerating and Strengthening Skills for Economic Transformation’ (ASSET) project. Engineer Mohammad Ruhul Amin, Chairman of the Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB), along with representatives from the industrial sector and TVET institutions, participated in this dialogue. K M Hasan Ripon, Principal of Daffodil Polytechnic Institute, moderated the event while Dr Mohammad Tariqul Islam Chowdhury, Chairman of CCN Family and CCN Polytechnic Institute, delivered the welcome address and Dr Mohammad Nuruzzaman, Chief Executive Officer of Daffodil Family, delivered the vote of thanks.