Govt creating skilled manpower for ‘4th Industrial Revolution’: HPM Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reiterated her government’s initiative to create skilled manpower to keep pace with the advancement of technology and face the challenges of ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’.

“We have to keep pace with the world as far as the technology is concerned . . . Otherwise, the country will stay behind,” she told the launching ceremony of ‘Freelancers ID’ as the chief guest here this evening.

The premier added: “So we don’t want to back down. Keeping this fourth industrial revolution in mind, we need to create a skilled workforce. If we don’t take the right initiative now, we will fall behind.”

The prime minister joined the main event held at the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) Auditorium at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar through a video conference from her official residence Ganabhaban.

The “Virtual ID Card Portal” is to recognize the work of Bangladeshi freelancers aimed at bringing the freelancing industry into a shape.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division and Bangladesh Freelancer Development Society (BFDS) along with other stakeholders took the initiative to create a database of the country’s freelancers and provide them a digital card, called as ‘Freelancers Identity Cards (ID)’.

In the cards, freelancers’ personal information, their earning statements and also career reputation analysis will be fixed in the card with a QR code and only institutions that have an agreement with the BFDS can access it.

Currently, about six lakh people engaged in freelancing in the country of which about two lakh are regularly earning from it, according to ICT division sources.

The initiative would help them to get their professional identity along with access to getting a bank loan and working facilities in the high-tech park as freelancing is predominant in music, writing, acting, computer programming, web design, graphic design, translating, illustrating, film and video production as well as other forms of work.

The talent pool of technical graduates and freelancers can help these individuals to emerge as entrepreneurs and effective workforce
in the coming days.

Reiterating her confidence in the young generation of the country, the premier said, “I know our sons and daughters are very talented.
They can learn very little in a limited period.”

She said as a government it is their responsibilities to create them (young generation) opportunity for jobs and they are doing that.

In this regard, Sheikh Hasina pointed out that 39 high-tech or software technology parks are being set up across the country and when these will be completed, around three lakh people, mostly youths, will get jobs.

“Investment will come from home and abroad and a skilled workforce will be created,” she hoped.