UNB, Dhaka :
Country Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Manmohan Parkash has expressed the optimism that Bangladesh will be known as a ‘technically advanced nation’ producing large ships through development of skills.
“It’s (shipbuilding) a hidden gem,” he told UNB after visiting Western Marine Shipyard at Patiya upazila of Chattogram district where he witnessed progress under a programme – skills for employment investment.
He said, Bangladesh has tremendous potentials with its economy growing at 7 to 8 percent currently but the growth can become 8-10 percent if people are trained with the right education. “I’ve absolutely no doubt.”
Parkash highlighted five things-good policymaking, good tech management, investing in infrastructure, investing skills and human capital; and embracing the new technologies for better Bangladesh with a stronger economy.
“These five things can make Bangladesh a well-developed country. That’s a dream I have, that’s a passion you have. We can work together to really make Bangladesh a beautiful and wonderful country,” he said.
Parkash, a man with over 32 years of professional experience, oversees the implementation of the ADB Country Partnership Strategy for Bangladesh (2016-2020).
Responding to another question, he said Bangladesh is a very blessed country and it is a land of opportunities.
“The only thing it needs is to harness the endowment it has. It has so many endowments. One of the biggest endowments is its people. You have young population. You have such youths who are hungry for knowledge and who have a passion to do something good for tomorrow,” Parkash said.
And, he added, they (young people) want to build a good Bangladesh for their own, for their children and grandchildren.
Explaining how Bangladesh can do it, Parkash said Bangladesh can do it by training them
with good teachers. “And you can do it by having people like you have at Western Marine Shipyard Limited Ltd who have really brought these people from remote areas and giving them an opportunity so that they can become people to stand up on their own feet gaining skills,” he said.
Parkash, who joined the ADB in 2002, said the quality of wielding and the quality of technical things that he saw display that they are not less than anybody.
The other advantage of Bangladesh, he said, is that the cost will be much less compared to the international one which means Bangladesh can easily capture the international market.
“Why should I go and buy expensive technology from the West when I can produce the technology taking advantage and using my own people? I can export this technology to the West and other countries,” Parkash said sharing what Bangladesh can do.
Talking about the importance of skill development in Bangladesh, he said the ADB is really the pioneer of skill development, and Bangladesh needs technical and vocational education much more now.
Parkash said, shipbuilding is a unique industry and it is really teaching people how to do wielding maintaining the international standard and the certification is specially done by an international certification agency.
“So, these wielders not only can build ships here for us, they can also build ships for outsiders.
They’re now building ships for Norway, a developed country. What will be a more proud moment for Bangladesh that ships built in Bangladesh to be exported to Norway, and Norway will use that,” he said.
Parkash said, Bangladesh started building ships at the right moment and it is good to see Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has also been giving a lot of importance to inland waterways and coastal shipping with other countries.
Country Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Manmohan Parkash has expressed the optimism that Bangladesh will be known as a ‘technically advanced nation’ producing large ships through development of skills.
“It’s (shipbuilding) a hidden gem,” he told UNB after visiting Western Marine Shipyard at Patiya upazila of Chattogram district where he witnessed progress under a programme – skills for employment investment.
He said, Bangladesh has tremendous potentials with its economy growing at 7 to 8 percent currently but the growth can become 8-10 percent if people are trained with the right education. “I’ve absolutely no doubt.”
Parkash highlighted five things-good policymaking, good tech management, investing in infrastructure, investing skills and human capital; and embracing the new technologies for better Bangladesh with a stronger economy.
“These five things can make Bangladesh a well-developed country. That’s a dream I have, that’s a passion you have. We can work together to really make Bangladesh a beautiful and wonderful country,” he said.
Parkash, a man with over 32 years of professional experience, oversees the implementation of the ADB Country Partnership Strategy for Bangladesh (2016-2020).
Responding to another question, he said Bangladesh is a very blessed country and it is a land of opportunities.
“The only thing it needs is to harness the endowment it has. It has so many endowments. One of the biggest endowments is its people. You have young population. You have such youths who are hungry for knowledge and who have a passion to do something good for tomorrow,” Parkash said.
And, he added, they (young people) want to build a good Bangladesh for their own, for their children and grandchildren.
Explaining how Bangladesh can do it, Parkash said Bangladesh can do it by training them
with good teachers. “And you can do it by having people like you have at Western Marine Shipyard Limited Ltd who have really brought these people from remote areas and giving them an opportunity so that they can become people to stand up on their own feet gaining skills,” he said.
Parkash, who joined the ADB in 2002, said the quality of wielding and the quality of technical things that he saw display that they are not less than anybody.
The other advantage of Bangladesh, he said, is that the cost will be much less compared to the international one which means Bangladesh can easily capture the international market.
“Why should I go and buy expensive technology from the West when I can produce the technology taking advantage and using my own people? I can export this technology to the West and other countries,” Parkash said sharing what Bangladesh can do.
Talking about the importance of skill development in Bangladesh, he said the ADB is really the pioneer of skill development, and Bangladesh needs technical and vocational education much more now.
Parkash said, shipbuilding is a unique industry and it is really teaching people how to do wielding maintaining the international standard and the certification is specially done by an international certification agency.
“So, these wielders not only can build ships here for us, they can also build ships for outsiders.
They’re now building ships for Norway, a developed country. What will be a more proud moment for Bangladesh that ships built in Bangladesh to be exported to Norway, and Norway will use that,” he said.
Parkash said, Bangladesh started building ships at the right moment and it is good to see Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has also been giving a lot of importance to inland waterways and coastal shipping with other countries.
