Should Bangladesh expand more technical training centres or overhaul existing ones first?

Bangladesh is continuing to expand its network of Technical Training Centres (TTCs) to meet growing demand for skilled workers at home and abroad.

But many of its 110 existing centres still face shortages of teachers, outdated or unusable equipment and weak industry links.

Experts say the bigger question is whether expansion should continue before current institutions are properly fixed.

Expansion or overhaul?

Migration expert Tasneem Siddiqui said conditions at many centres remain troubling.

"Many TTCs still lack basic infrastructure, modern equipment and adequate instructors," she said. "In some places trainees are even asked to clean facilities because support staff are absent. This is not skill development."

A principal of a Dhaka-based TTC warned that Bangladesh risks preparing workers for outdated industries.

"In developed countries, training centres are linked with industries and use modern equipment. Here students often train on outdated or non-functional machines," he said.

Several experts said the government should focus first on improving a smaller number of centres to international standards instead of expanding rapidly without reform.

"Instead of building TTCs everywhere, upgrade 10 to 15 centres to global standards first," one principal said. "Fix the teacher shortage, reduce project-based staffing dependency and establish industry linkages."

BMET Additional Director General Ashraf Hosain said steps were being taken to address capacity limits and better align training with industry needs.

"Yes, we have capacity limitations," he said. "But we are trying to mitigate the gaps in line with industry requirements."