Published: 11:34 PM, 26 July 2026
Govt, BGMEA join hands to build skilled RMG workforce
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), in collaboration with the World Bank-funded Accelerating and Strengthening Skills for Economic Transformation (ASSET) project on Saturday held a workshop to review the progress of its Enterprise-Based Training (EBT) programme and distributed certificates to successful trainees. The event, held at the BGMEA Complex in Uttara, focused on strengthening the country's ready-made garment (RMG) sector through industry-led skills development, sustainable growth and employment generation, according to a press release.
Technical and Madrasah Education Division Secretary Md Daud Mia, NDC, attended the programme as the chief guest, while BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan presided over the function.
Implemented by the Directorate of Technical Education under the Technical and Madrasah Education Division of the Ministry of Education, the ASSET project is supporting BGMEA in conducting Enterprise-Based Training (EBT) to develop demand-driven skilled manpower and improve productivity in the garment industry. Under the joint BGMEA-ASSET initiative, a total of 4,632 trainees have been enrolled through 193 batches across three training cycles. Certificates were awarded to 2,328 trainees from 97 batches under the second and third cycles, while the fourth cycle, comprising 96 batches, is currently underway.
Speaking at the programme, Secretary Md Daud Mia said skilled human resources are essential to achieving Bangladesh's national economic goals, adding that the BGMEA-ASSET collaboration has made a significant contribution to enhancing productivity and workforce capacity in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector.
Although the current ASSET project will conclude in December 2026, he said, the government would continue launching new initiatives for skills development.
He also urged BGMEA to provide recommendations for future programmes aimed at strengthening industry-academia collaboration and producing demand-based skilled manpower.
The secretary stressed that workers' competency should be upgraded to National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) Levels 3 and 4 to enable the country's largest employment-generating sector to remain competitive in the global market.
BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan said the garment industry must become more skilled and technologically advanced to keep pace with global competition and rapid technological changes.
He described the Enterprise-Based Training model as a proven approach to improving workplace skills and thanked the government for supporting human resource development through the ASSET and other projects.
Mahmud Hasan Khan said the current BGMEA leadership is committed not only to increasing exports but also creating greater value addition by developing a skilled workforce. He expressed hope that appropriate policy support would further accelerate employment generation and the sector's overall growth.
The ‘Accelerating and Strengthening Skills for Economic Transformation’ (ASSET) project, implemented by the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) under the Ministry of Education, aims to foster industry-led, demand-driven training programs that boost manufacturing productivity.
Director General of the Directorate of Technical Education Abul Khayer Md Akkas Ali, Additional Secretary of the Technical and Madrasah Education Division Shamsur Rahman Khan, ASSET Project Director Mir Jahid Hasan, BUFT Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Engr Ayub Nabi Khan, BGMEA Director Nafis-ud-Doula, BGMEA Skill Development Standing Committee Chairman Javed Hossain Bhuiyan and other officials attended the programme.
The workshop reviewed the progress of the Enterprise-Based Training programme and discussed future cooperation between the government and the garment industry to align workforce skills more closely with manufacturers’ needs.
