Prime Minister’s Adviser and Spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office, Mahdi Amin, held separate meetings on Wednesday with delegations from the European Union (EU) and the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU).
During the meeting with the EU delegation at the Prime Minister’s Office, discussions focused on safe and orderly migration, skills development, overseas employment opportunities, trade, investment, education, and bilateral cooperation.
The EU delegation expressed interest in recruiting skilled and qualified workers from Bangladesh to meet labor market demands in Europe. They also emphasized expanding legal migration pathways and strengthening Bangladesh-EU cooperation in this sector.
Mahdi Amin highlighted the government’s ongoing initiatives to develop a skilled workforce capable of meeting the demands of the international labor market. He referred to plans for expanding technical and vocational education and training (TVET), producing skilled manpower, and creating new overseas employment opportunities.
He stated that the government remains committed to ensuring safe, orderly, and regular migration. As part of this effort, plans have been undertaken to introduce an “Expatriate Card” for migrant workers. He also noted that the government is implementing various policy measures to reduce migration costs, enhance transparency, and protect the rights of migrant workers.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in migration, human resource development, education, trade, and investment.
The EU delegation included Henrik Nielsen, Aleksandra Domanska, Baiba Zarina, and Jurate Smalskyte Merville.
Meanwhile, an ACU high-level delegation paid a courtesy call on Mahdi Amin to discuss strengthening cooperation in education, technology, and international academic engagement.
The meeting focused on improving the quality of higher education in Bangladesh, expanding research and innovation, promoting technology-driven and skills-based education, increasing international academic collaboration, and strengthening university-to-university partnerships.
Mahdi Amin outlined the BNP government’s education policy and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s vision for education. He said the government is committed to building a modern, skilled, and technology-driven education system that will equip students to compete globally and contribute effectively to a knowledge-based economy.
The ACU delegation expressed interest in supporting the development of Bangladesh’s higher education sector, expanding international partnerships, and promoting research-based education. They also voiced optimism about enhancing collaboration between Bangladeshi universities and universities across the Commonwealth.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides expressed their commitment to working more closely in the future to strengthen education, research, skills development, and international academic networks.
JB
