The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Non-Resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) yesterday expressed their utmost eagerness to make the best use of their expertise and investment to enhance the skill of the country's manpower and improve the quality of the education and transport system.

The enthusiasm came on the last day of the first ever three- day NBR conference held in the city with joint collaboration of local experts. Four seminars on various development issues were held during the conference.

The seminars dealt with the issues of upgrading the skill of Bangladeshi workforce to international standard, developing a sustainable transportation system, improvement of education and creating a congenial environment for investment.

The three-day conference began on December 27 with the aim of establishing a bridge between the scholars and investors living in the country and thousands of such individuals residing abroad.

Mohammad K Haq, Vice President, International Partnership, CWI Institute of Canada said, Bangladesh must educate and build its citizens to become worthy of competing in the global economy.

"NBR's could offer their expertise and experience to help developing the skills of county's manpower as per international standard," he said while presenting the keynote paper at a seminar. He was presenting key-note paper at a seminar titled 'Skill Development of Bangladesh For Global Market Place' where he also gave a Bangladesh model of skill development where NRB's could assist. Eminent Economist Dr Atiur Rahman urged the NRBs to set up a skill development centre here where they could volunteer their expertise for developing the skills of the Bangladeshi workforce as per the international standard.

"You need to come forward to help your country, where from you originated on your own way rather blaming the government for not facilitating NRBs", In another seminar on development of sustainable transportation systems for the Dhaka city, the NRB experts suggested making an integrated policy and planning on land use and transportation.

Traffic engineering and transportation planning specialist of Washington DC, Habib Shaheen Trafdar and Development Budget Adviser of Ministry of Finance of Afghanistan Dr Abu Reza spoke about various aspects of traffic management.

They underlined the need for developing a long-term inter- model transportation system by well integrating the non- motorized, motorized and mass transportation moods.

NBRs, who are working in the transport sector in different country's, could come forward with their experience and expertise to help formulate a appropriate policy as higher technologies, appropriate decision making tools and innovative financial strategies are required to develop a transportation system.

Communication Secretary Dr Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman addressed the seminar as the chief guest while former Secretary Dr Kamrul Islam Siddique, chairman of WASA Abdullah Haroon Pasha spoke as special guests.

Mahbubur Rahman urged all transport engineers, working home and abroad, to sit together for arriving at a consensus to form a long term transport planning by optimum use of limited land resources.

Urging the NRB experts to participate in the development process of the country as consultants, he said, if NRBs offer their service, we won't require to hire foreigners.

Counter terrorism expert of Bangladesh Army Brigadier General Dr ATM Amin at another seminar on Investment Environment in Bangladesh said, an estimated easily derivable 10 billion US dollar investment by expatriate Bangladeshis could revamp Bangladesh economy.

He said Bangladesh so far got foreign investments from the other spill over economies while the "expatriates can contribute to a large extent to the economic growth in the country.

US-based financial institute executives Nasim Ali and Sabbir Ahmed presented another paper on investment environment saying expatriates were missing factors in economic partnership while the public and private sectors needed to form an engagement with the Bangladeshis living abroad.

In the seminar on Development of Education System, the NRBs suggested strengthening English education in the country as Bangladeshis have been paying very dearly for lack proficiency in the language.

English education centers must be set up to train teachers to make them good English instructors and NRBs could come forward with their skills and investment in the field, they said.