Bangladesh’s population is its asset, not burden: Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina believes Bangladesh’s population is not something to worry about; rather this manpower, if armed with the right education, can be turned into its best resources.

She, however, thinks the education system needs a massive overhaul.

“An increase in population is not a matter of concern. But many raise alarms over the increasing population,” she said on Thursday.

“If we can give them education, build them up with proper training, this manpower will be our biggest asset,”

The prime minister made the observations at the inauguration of the ‘International Conference on Skills for the Future World of Work and TVET for Global Competitiveness' at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka.

The three-day event will focus on the future demand of skilled manpower and the process to guarantee demand-based quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

According to the latest data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), more than 161 million people currently live in the country, and Dhaka is the most densely populated city in the world.

Hasina spoke about how multidimensional use of new technologies was rapidly changing the people’s lives.

She said people were taking advantage of the technology and changing the production system, shrinking job opportunities.

"Now, skilfulness is the only thing that ensures sustainable development and job."

Hasina said the world's ‘primary goal is to reduce poverty and improve the living condition of people using science and technology’.

In her view, Bangladesh is in an advantageous position in the global demographics as 49 percent of its population is young and below the age 24.

The prime minister stressed on making the ‘demographic dividend useful’ and said her government was active in utilising that advantage.

“Already many projects prioritising manpower generation have been initiated. The government aims to create a skilled and knowledge-based society.”

“A competent manpower is capable of further advancing the country’s overall development,” she observed.

“The education system needs massive restructuring" and knowledge-based skills and practical learning need to be integrated to build manpower for development, she noted.

The number of students in the technical and vocational medium was only 1.8 percent when the Awami League came to power in 1996.

“Now the number has risen to 14 percent due to my government’s initiatives,” Hasina said at Thursday’s programme.

The government also has plans to increase the number of students in this medium to 20 percent in 2020, 30 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040, she added.