President urges universities to produce job-ready graduates

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has urged public and private universities to prioritise producing skilled, job-ready graduates, insisting that higher education must be aligned with domestic and international labour market demands if the unemployment of educated young people is to be tackled.

The president made the call on Saturday, October 17, during a courtesy meeting at Bangabhaban with a delegation from Southeast University led by its Board of Trustees Chairman, Rezaul Karim, according to Press Secretary Md Sarwar Alam, as reported by Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS). Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Yusuf Mahbubul Islam was also present. The president emphasised the need for a coordinated, holistic approach to higher education to bridge the widening gap between graduates’ skills and employers’ requirements, and he urged universities to offer modern, high-quality education in technical, engineering and technology-related disciplines. He observed that industries, factories, corporate bodies, specialised institutions and even private entities in Bangladesh were obliged to recruit workers from abroad, despite a large pool of unemployed graduates at home. Consequently, he called on universities to strengthen technical and professional education, while advising industrial and corporate organisations to cultivate competent, employment-ready workers through appropriate training.

The president further urged private universities to waive tuition fees for academically gifted students from disadvantaged backgrounds, so that financial constraints do not impede their pursuit of higher education. Meanwhile, Rezaul Karim briefed him on the university’s academic activities and said the institution sought to operate largely as a charitable, non-profit establishment. According to the chairman, it provides roughly Tk 32 crore annually in tuition waivers and scholarships to meritorious students, financially disadvantaged learners and those covered by special quotas.

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Moreover, Karim formally invited the president to the university’s forthcoming convocation, and the president accepted, assuring the delegation of his attendance. The president’s military secretary and press secretary, together with Southeast University’s board secretary, trustees, pro-vice-chancellor, registrar and advisers, also attended the meeting.