PM urges expats to help build developed BD
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday urged Bangladeshis at home and abroad to work together to build a developed country, outlining plans to improve education, expand rural healthcare and strengthen skills training for overseas employment.
“We are all Bangladeshis. Our first priority should be to do something for our country and do something better,” he said.
Speaking at an exchange of views with Bangladeshi expatriates at a hotel in Tokyo, Tarique said national development was a shared responsibility, regardless of where people lived or what positions they held.
The programme was organised by Bangladesh Community, Japan. The prime minister’s wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, was also present.
Responding to a question about the government’s plans for expatriates, including those involved in political activities abroad, Tarique said the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) had received the people’s mandate to govern and that the government’s priority was the country’s welfare. He said a better Bangladesh would benefit citizens whether they lived at home or overseas, adding that expatriates could contribute to national progress from wherever they were.
“So, wherever we are and whatever position we hold, if we believe that any work we do can bring something good for our country and its people, we should try to do it,” the prime minister said.
The government plans to introduce Japanese, German and French as optional third languages in schools from next year, alongside English and students’ mother tongue, Tarique said.
He said work on the initiative had already begun, responding to a question from a young expatriate about Bangladeshi students’ growing interest in learning Japanese and pursuing higher education in Japan.
The prime minister said the government also wanted to make sports, arts and culture compulsory parts of education. Students would be encouraged to develop skills in at least one sport and one area of arts or culture, while vocational education would receive greater emphasis.
He said a stronger education system would prepare young people for future employment and help them compete internationally.
Outlining plans to improve healthcare cooperation with Japan, Tarique said the government aimed to upgrade existing 50-bed upazila health complexes into 150-bed hospitals over the next five years.
The expanded facilities would include dialysis units, paediatric services and gynaecology departments to improve access to treatment, particularly for women and children in rural areas.
He said major hospitals were struggling with patient numbers far beyond their capacity, forcing many rural residents to travel long distances for treatment.
The government would also prioritise preventive healthcare and recruit 100,000 health workers, at least 80 per cent of whom would be women, he said.
The workers would visit communities to promote healthy lifestyles, help prevent diabetes and heart conditions, and advise people on common illnesses.
Tarique said stronger preventive services would ease pressure on hospitals and improve treatment for patients who required hospital care.
The prime minister also stressed the need to prepare workers properly before sending them abroad, including through language and cultural training.
Responding to a question about Bangladeshis who had lived in Japan for years but faced visa cancellations or returned home, he advised them to contact the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment to explore possible opportunities.
He said Bangladesh had faced difficulties recruiting Japanese-language teachers despite advertising vacancies, with fewer than 30 applicants reportedly applying for Japanese-language teaching positions.
Tarique said better preparation would help Bangladeshi workers maintain their position in international labour markets.
The exchange in Tokyo covered national development, expatriate engagement, education reform, rural healthcare and overseas employment. The prime minister urged Bangladeshis living abroad to remain connected to the country and contribute to its progress.
The proposed education changes are intended to expand students’ language skills, while the planned hospital upgrades and recruitment of health workers aim to improve access to healthcare across the country.
