No foreign intervention needed for national election: Planning minister

Planning Minister MA Mannan has said there is no need for foreign countries to intervene in or influence Bangladesh's parliamentary elections.

"Foreigners will come, roam around, that is fine. But we want to do our job," he said while addressing a seminar organised on the occasion of "World Youth Skills Day" at BIDA Bhaban in Agargaon on Sunday (16 July).

The National Skills Development Authority organised the discussion seminar.

Mannan said, ""At present, our primary focus lies in driving development and catching up on skill-building. We acknowledge that we commenced this journey later than others. Merely a couple of days ago, Bangladesh was perceived as a nation lagging behind. However, we are now progressing with remarkable accomplishments, determined to propel ourselves forward."

He said all these achievements have been made possible through the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Also speaking at the seminar, FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin said, "It is evident that we are falling behind our competitors in terms of efficiency and productivity. To overcome this, we must focus on developing a skilled workforce to reap the benefits. It is crucial to establish a strong linkage between academia and industry to address this challenge."

World Youth Skills Day is globally celebrated on 15 July each year. For this year, Unesco-Unevoc has designated the theme of the day as 'Skilling Teachers, Trainers, and Youth for a Transformative Future.'

Based on the recommendations of the National Skill Development Agency for the enhancement of skill education, funding cheques have been distributed to seven training institutes from the National Human Resource Development Fund.