Technical education is key to industrial development

Technical education creates skilled manpower in developing world. The most important factor in the industrial development of a country is the skilled worker or artisans of that country. Technical education teaches the workers to leave traditional work and do technology-based work. Educated manpower in technical education will be able to increase the domestic production and possession the place of Bangladesh in the ranks of developed countries at an unstoppable speed. A person educated in technical education is largely certain about his future career. That's why his thoughts, consciousness, thinking, talent, in all areas have the idea of developing the industry of his country. In the 50 years of independence, there has been an enviable success in the industrialization of the country. Bangladesh has come to the forefront of economic, social and development indicators.

Key to this success are the
following three areas:
1.    Export sector: Bangladesh exports its products to around 203 countries in the world today, undoubtedly this is a unique success. Bangladesh now exports about 751 products including various types of ready-made garments, home textiles, frozen fish, leather, tea, jute, medicine, crab, agricultural products, engineering products, ships. In the financial year 2022-23, export earnings were $46.99 billion, which contributed 37.56 percent to the GDP. Due to the technical education educated manpower working in the present modern industrial mills, the national production increases which accelerates the industrial development of the country.

2.    Remittance Sector: Remittance is one of the sources of our national income and a major part of reserves.These remittances provide about a third of the budget.The role of these remittances in the economic development of Bangladesh and the improvement of people's living standards is undeniable. About 80 lakh Bangladeshis are working in 157 countries of the world.According to the data of the Central Bank, in the financial year 2022-23, expatriate Bangladeshis sent remittances to the country worth 2161 million dollars.Expatriate income contributes to our GDP at the rate of 4.6 percent.The lower- and middle-class people of the country are the beneficiaries of this remittance.The Ministry of Labor and Manpower and the Directorate of Technical Education are working to increase the subsequent remittance income by creating skilled manpower through technical education in the correct plan of the present government.

Finally, our GDP growth has reached 6.03 percent in FY 2022-23. The per capita income is US$ 2824 and the GDP target is set at 7.5 percent in FY 2023-24. Skilled manpower can be created only through technical education. By doing this, there will be rapid industrialization in the country, production will increase, product quality will increase, employment and workers' wages will increase, and they will be able to earn more foreign exchange from abroad as skilled workers. And thus, technical education is becoming the key to our industrial development.

The writer is a columnist, Head of Operations and Associate Professor, Daffodil Institute of IT, Chittagong