‘Language skills unlock opportunities in Japan’

Khulna Correspondent :

The demand for skilled manpower is rising rapidly both at home and abroad, with Japan emerging as a promising destination for Bangladeshi workers. Speakers at a discussion meeting in Khulna on Wednesday stressed that developing technical skills alongside proficiency in the Japanese language is crucial to fully capitalise on these opportunities.

The discussion, titled “Opportunities and Prospects for Higher Education and Employment in Japan,” was organized by the National Human Resource Development Fund (NHRDF) at the auditorium of the Divisional Commissioner’s Office in Khulna on Wednesday.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Mohammad Daud Ali addressed the event as the keynote speaker. He said Japan is facing a growing ageing population and a shrinking workforce, which is expected to significantly increase the demand for skilled foreign workers in the coming years. “Bangladesh has strong potential to meet this demand if its workforce is properly prepared,” he noted.

The ambassador emphasized that entry into Japan’s labour market depends not only on technical competence but also on proficiency in the Japanese language. “Language skills open doors to both employment and higher education opportunities in Japan,” he said, calling for the expansion of Japanese language education in Bangladesh.

NHRDF Managing Director and CEO Mohammad Touhidur Rahman spoke as the chief guest. He said the fund has been supporting skill development programmes through various public and private training institutions across the country. Considering Japan’s labour market needs, several training initiatives have already been launched in the service and technical sectors.

He added that NHRDF plans to further expand Japanese language training programmes in the future to better equip students and young professionals for Japan’s job market.