President urges universities to produce skilled workforce
President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday urged public and private universities to produce skilled graduates capable of meeting the country’s workforce needs across different sectors.
He made the call when a delegation led by Daffodil International University Board of Trustees Chairman Dr Md Sabur Khan paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban on October 8, 2026, President’s Press Secretary Md Sarwar Alam told BSS.
“The main objective of public and private universities shall be to build a skilled workforce according to the needs of the country,” the President said.
He noted that Bangladesh had produced numerous graduates in the more than five decades since independence, yet foreign workers were still needed to operate strategic installations, ports, specialised institutions and private companies.
The President urged universities to play a greater role in addressing the gap between the country’s workforce requirements and the skills of its graduates.
During the meeting, Dr Md Sabur Khan briefed the President on the university’s overall academic activities. He said the university had its own patent development department to help researchers secure patent rights and commercialise their innovations.
He added that the university offered education in employment-oriented fields, including research, production and multimedia, nutrition and food, fisheries, and information and communication. These initiatives had contributed to the university’s progress in international rankings, he said.
The President expressed satisfaction with the university’s activities, thanked the delegation and stressed the importance of maintaining the quality of education.
Dr Md Sabur Khan also formally invited the President to attend the university’s upcoming convocation ceremony.
The President’s Military Secretary Major General A S M Bahauddin, Secretary A J M Salauddin and Press Secretary Md Sarwar Alam were present at the meeting.
The university delegation also included Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr M R Kabir, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Masum Iqbal, Board of Trustees member Dr Md Emran Hossain, Dean of Academic Affairs Prof Dr Mostafa Kamal and Registrar Dr Nadir Bin Ali.
