Bangladesh and China have taken a fresh initiative to bring around 10,000 Bangladeshi students under Chinese language and technical skills programmes as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation in education and technology.

The move was discussed at a meeting between Chinese Ambassador to Dhaka Yao Wen and Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon, alongside State Minister Bobby Hajjaj

The meeting focused on expanding collaboration in technical education, language training and youth skill development to build a competitive workforce for both domestic and international markets.

The ambassador said a target has been set to include approximately 10,000 students in Chinese language education programmes. He noted that the initiative would help create employment opportunities in nearly 1,000 Chinese companies operating in Bangladesh and open access to jobs in at least 17 countries for Bangladeshi students with Chinese language proficiency.

Chinese language education has already begun at several higher educational institutions, including the University of Dhaka, North South University, and BRAC University, as well as through a joint initiative with the University Grants Commission. There are also plans to introduce Chinese language courses at the University of Chittagong within this year.

Emphasising the importance of technical and polytechnic education, the minister said Bangladesh and China would jointly visit polytechnic institutes to modernise curricula, enhance technological capacity and introduce demand-driven education systems aligned with industry needs. Courses and training frameworks will be reorganised in line with market requirements, he added.

To promote Chinese language education at the secondary level, a proposal has been made to establish 300 smart classrooms in 150 institutions, with two classrooms in each school. Discussions also covered the establishment of nine broadcasting centres and the provision of modern software and hardware for relevant laboratories. A pilot project is already underway.

The Chinese side informed the meeting that similar initiatives in language and technical education have been successfully implemented in countries such as South Africa, Cambodia and Laos.

During the meeting, Chinese authorities also expressed interest in supporting the construction of a modern dormitory hall for female students at the University of Dhaka. It was further decided that Bangladesh would formulate a five-year need-based education plan and share it with the Chinese side.

The Bangladeshi delegation has been invited to visit China for a study tour to gain first-hand experience of technical and technology institutions. At the same time, Chinese universities and experts have been invited to visit Bangladesh and provide recommendations for modernising local technical education institutions.

Scholarships for polytechnic students also came up for discussion. The Chinese side assured cooperation upon receiving a formal proposal, while Bangladesh will submit the necessary documents within the coming week.

The minister expressed hope that the enhanced cooperation would strengthen bilateral ties in education and technology and help equip the country’s youth with internationally competitive skills. He added that, in line with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s education manifesto, Bangladesh’s education system is set to embark on a new journey.