Sylhet:Dhaka The government of Bangladesh plans to establish its first artificial intelligence (AI) training centers in Sylhet to equip young people with skills for AI and IT-related work, as announced by Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the initiative will begin in Sylhet and gradually expand to other districts. This move aims to prepare the new generation for freelancing and the international IT sector, creating more opportunities to earn foreign currency for the country.
The minister spoke at a freshers' reception and farewell program organized by the Dhaka University unit of the Jalalabad Chhatra Kalyan Samity. He highlighted the potential for freelancing in Bangladesh, specifically in Sylhet, where many young people currently earn between $500 and $5,000 a month. The training program aims to help more young people become self-reliant earners.
Muktadir emphasized that freelancing and IT-based work can help attract IT-related work from overseas firms to Bangladesh. He also stressed the need for investment in education, health, and research, stating that development is an integrated process. Countries that have achieved sustainable development have made key investments in these areas.
He noted that Bangladesh must address fundamental challenges in education and health before making adequate investments in research. Without long-term investment in these sectors, skilled human resources and sustainable economic progress are not possible. The government aims to gradually increase budgetary allocations to reach an amount equivalent to 5 percent of GDP for each sector, though this remains a long-term goal.
The minister expressed concern over the state of education in the Sylhet region, which lags in divisional literacy rates and various education indicators. He attributed these shortcomings to infrastructure, institutional capacity, leadership, and structural limitations, rather than a lack of talent or capability among the people of Sylhet.
Muktadir urged students to make the most of university opportunities, acquire skills for leadership, research, innovation, and nation-building, and called on outgoing students to work with integrity and a spirit of service to the nation. He praised the Jalalabad Chhatra Kalyan Samity for its role in uniting people from Sylhet living in Dhaka and advancing the region.
At the program, newly admitted students from Sylhet division at Dhaka University were welcomed with flowers, while high-achieving students who completed their studies were given farewell receptions.