Shah Mamunur Rahman Tuhin
In Bangladesh today, the government under the leadership of Honorable Prime Minister Tarique
Rahman has assumed office through a genuine mandate of the people. As the heir to the legacy of
Bangladesh’s highly successful President and the proponent of Bangladeshi nationalism, the martyred
President Ziaur Rahman, and Bangladesh’s first female Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia, the current
leadership carries profound national significance. Both preceding leaders governed with exceptional
integrity and patriotism, laying a robust economic foundation for the nation. Today, the Honorable
Prime Minister continues along a path marked by transparency, honesty, and sincerity. As an ordinary
citizen, political worker, and social activist, my expectations—and those of our nation—are naturally
immense.
Bangladesh, one of South Asia’s most densely populated nations, stands at a critical historical juncture.
On one hand, we possess a massive demographic dividend characterized by a vibrant young workforce;
on the other, we face a pressing deficit in domestic job creation alongside rising youth unemployment.
With nearly two to two and a half million new entrants entering the labor market each year, securing
suitable employment for a vast majority remains an immense challenge. In this context, harnessing
international labor markets while addressing domestic structural constraints serves as the primary
engine for Bangladesh’s economic prosperity. However, achieving this requires a paradigm
shift—moving away from the export of low-skilled labor toward a strategic national policy centered on
high-skilled human capital development.
Global Labor Market Dynamics and Emerging Opportunities
Global demographic shifts are fundamentally reshaping international labor markets. Declining birth
rates and aging populations in developed and developing economies have triggered acute labor
shortages. Concurrently, rapid technological advancements and evolving economic models have
heightened global demand for specialized skills and credentials.
Healthcare and Caregiving: An unprecedented global demand has emerged in the healthcare sector.
Developed nations such as Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia face severe
shortages of nurses and eldercare specialists. Candidates equipped with accredited nursing or caregiving
diplomas, alongside proficiency in host languages (such as Japanese N4/N3 or German B1/B2
certificates), enjoy lucrative, stable, and honorable career prospects in these countries.
Information Technology and Software Engineering: Skilled IT professionals are in high demand across
Eastern Europe, the United States, and the Far East. Countries including Germany, Estonia, Poland, the
United Arab Emirates, and Japan actively seek talent in emerging domains such as Python, Java, Data
Analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Cybersecurity. Individuals with international-standard
portfolios, fluent English communication skills, and sound domain expertise can generate substantial
foreign exchange earnings.
Construction, Engineering, and Heavy Industry: Traditional manual labor is increasingly being
superseded by technical expertise. Massive infrastructure projects across Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE,
Malaysia, and Romania require certified specialists in civil and electrical architecture, precision
plumbing, high-tech welding, and heavy machinery operation.
Hospitality and Tourism: Emerging markets in the Middle East and Europe offer expanding avenues for
skilled personnel. Under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 mega-tourism ventures, alongside opportunities in
Qatar, the Maldives, and Croatia, there is substantial demand for chefs, baristas, hotel managers, and
customer service executives. Standardized vocational training and strong interpersonal skills ensure
rapid career integration.
Agriculture and Food Processing: Modern agricultural technologies have transformed farming sectors
internationally. Programs such as South Korea’s E-8 and E-9 visa schemes, along with requirements in
Italy, Australia, and the UK, seek workers proficient in modern agritech and physical operations. Basic
language proficiency combined with technical knowledge guarantees swift placement.
Beyond these conventional avenues, employment opportunities exist across numerous specialized
sectors worldwide. Proactive state patronage and dedicated initiatives by Bangladesh’s diplomatic
missions abroad are essential to identify and tap into these emerging markets. Furthermore, the global
freelancing landscape represents an immense, expanding frontier for non-migratory remote
employment.
Urgent Policy Interventions for the Government
To transform our vast unemployed workforce from a socio-economic burden into a globally competitive
asset, the government must institute decisive, far-reaching policy measures:
Modernization of Technical Training Centers (TTCs): Existing Technical Training Centers across the
country must undergo comprehensive structural overhauls. Traditional, outdated modules should be
replaced with mandatory, intensive 6-to-9-month diploma programs in languages such as Japanese,
German, Italian, and Korean, conducted in partnership with internationally recognized certifying bodies.
Strategic ‘Remittance Diplomacy’ and Market Diversification: Our remittance inflows remain heavily
reliant on traditional Middle Eastern corridors. To mitigate risk, diplomatic efforts must expand into
Europe (such as Croatia, Romania, Poland, and the Schengen zone), the Far East (Japan, South Korea),
and North America through bilateral Government-to-Government (G2G) agreements. The Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment must jointly execute
targeted remittance diplomacy.
Regulating Migration Costs and Ensuring Accountability: Exorbitant migration fees and exploitation by
intermediary syndicates pose severe barriers to overseas employment. Stringent legal measures must
be enforced to dismantle illicit recruiter cartels. Furthermore, collateral-free, low-interest ‘Migration
Loans’ should be provided through Probashi Kollyan Bank and commercial banks to prevent youth from
incurring catastrophic financial debt.
State Infrastructure for Freelancing and Remote Work: For skilled professionals opting to remain
domestically, robust remote work infrastructure is vital. Expanding high-speed fiber-optic internet to the
sub-district (upazila) level and integrating seamless international payment gateways (such as PayPal and
equivalent services) are imperative steps to facilitate foreign currency inflow.
Role of the Private Sector and Civil Society
Government initiatives must be complemented by active private sector participation:
Public-Private Partnerships (PPP): Joint ventures between the government and leading private
recruitment agencies or industrial conglomerates can establish world-class Skill Development Institutes,
tailored specifically to international market demands.
Industry-Academia Collaboration: Curricula across universities and polytechnic institutes must be
realigned with global market requirements, emphasizing practical technical skills and foreign language
proficiency alongside theoretical education.
Venture Capital and Startup Support: To foster domestic job creation, accessible venture capital funding
and favorable credit facilities must be extended to young entrepreneurs, generating thousands of local
employment opportunities.
Immediate Action and Strategic Vision
If Bangladesh can successfully train and deploy 500,000 to 1,000,000 highly skilled and semi-skilled
workers to Japan, Europe, and advanced economies over the next three to five years, national
remittance inflows could easily double or triple. Exporting low-skilled labor results in low wages and
worker vulnerability; conversely, exporting high-skilled talent enhances national prestige and yields
exponentially higher economic returns.
Conclusion:
Our population is not a detriment; rather, without strategic planning and modern management, it
becomes an underutilized resource. To resolve the complex challenge of unemployment and fortify our
national economic foundation, the government should immediately establish a high-powered National
Employment and Technical Commission. The era of relying on cheap labor has passed. The imperative
now is to nurture a highly skilled, technologically adept, and linguistically competent workforce. Through
resolute political will, policy reform, and effective execution, Bangladesh can achieve sustainable
economic self-reliance and lasting prosperity.
The views expressed here are writer’s personal opinion
Shah Mamunur Rahman Tuhin
President, Global Khulna
