ADB President Visits SEIP Training Activities at BKTTC, Dhaka

Mr. Masatsugu Asakawa, President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), visited the Bangladesh-Korea Technical Training Centre (BK-TTC) in Dhaka on 16 March 2023 to observe training programs organized by the Skills for Employment Investment Program (SEIP). A high-level delegation, including the Director General of the Southeast Asia region of ADB, accompanied the president.

During the visit, the delegation met with officials from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), BK-TTC, SEIP, and concerned government representatives. National Project Director (NPD) of the SEIP project and Senior Secretary of the Finance Division Ms. Fatima Yasmin highlighted the successful implementation of the SEIP project in providing industry-demand-driven skills training. She mentioned that SEIP has brought total reforms in skills development ecosystem. The training courses offered by SEIP are aligned with industry need and after completion of the training, SEIP graduates are placed in job market, She added. Finance Secretary expressed her deep appreciation and gratitude to ADB for extending its support to skills development area in Bangladesh.

Ms. Fatema Rahim Veena, the Executive Project Director of the SEIP project, presented the project’s achievements, accomplishments, and uniqueness. She emphasized the successful partnerships with public, private, and NGOs, focusing on enrollment (79.64%), job placement (70.24%), and female participation (31.31%) in the training program targeting 8, 41,000 individuals. She also mentioned the special programs for socially excluded groups, persons with disabilities, and transgender individuals.

Dr. Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, emphasized the importance of skills training on modern technology for employment in the overseas market. He expresses his gratitude  to SEIP project for supporting Technical Training Centres Under BMET.

ADB President His Excellency Masatsugu Asakawa stated that developing skills training is crucial for the country’s economic progress. He recalled his discussion with the Prime Minister, who also emphasized the importance of investing in human resource development in Bangladesh. He said that ADB stands ready to support Bangladesh in resilient, sustainable and inclusive development.

Following the meeting, the BK-TTC principal presented the SEIP training activities at BKTTC. The ADB President visited the workshops and interacted with the trainees personally, expressing high satisfaction with the training programs at BKTTC organized and funded by SEIP.