Staff Correspondent

BNP National Standing Committee member and Prime Minister's Adviser on Public Administration (Ministerial Rank) Md. Ismail Zabiullah has said that the friendship and mutual relations between China and Bangladesh will deepen through the creation of jointly produced films, documentaries, books and digital content.

He said that language can play an important role in making the growing relationship between Bangladesh and China more effective and multidimensional. In particular, proficiency in Chinese will enhance mutual understanding between the people of the two countries and create new opportunities for trade, education, technology, employment and cultural exchange.

He made these remarks while delivering the chief guest speech at the concluding ceremony of the 'Competency Standards and Curriculum Validation Workshop on Chinese Language' organized at the conference room of the National Skill Development Authority in Agargaon, Dhaka on Tuesday.

The Public Administration Adviser said that China is one of the largest trading partners of Bangladesh. The relationship between the two countries is currently expanding in various fields including trade and investment as well as education, technology, industry, culture and human resource development. The Chinese language can play an important role in making this growing relationship more effective.

He said that learning Chinese will deepen mutual understanding between the people of the two countries. At the same time, it will create greater value together and create opportunities for the people of Bangladesh to participate more effectively in various aspects of China-Bangladesh economic relations. Chinese is therefore not just a language; it is a bridge to trade, technology, employment and opportunities.

Ismail Zabiullah said that in recent years, Bangladesh-China relations have been upgraded to a 'comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership .' As this partnership expands, the ability to communicate in Chinese among Bangladesh's young generation and professionals will become an increasingly important national skill.

He said that the National Skill Development Authority and related institutions should develop an effective and inclusive system so that a student in Dhaka or a student in a remote village gets the opportunity to learn Chinese through online and technology-based platforms. University students, working professionals or skilled workers should be ensured the opportunity to learn Chinese at their own convenient time.

He also said that acquiring proficiency in Chinese can also play an important role in removing language barriers for Bangladeshi students interested in pursuing higher education in China. At the same time, new job opportunities will be created in Chinese institutions, investments, and the international labour market for young people who are proficient in Chinese.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Mr. Yao Wen said that education is one of the important areas of cooperation between Bangladesh and China. In this regard, China's cooperation with Bangladesh will be further strengthened in the future.

He said that employment and work opportunities are being created for Bangladeshi citizens in the Chinese economic zone in Chittagong. In these areas, proficiency in Chinese will play an important role for Bangladeshi workers. By acquiring proficiency in Chinese, Bangladeshi youth and workers will be able to communicate more effectively with Chinese institutions and investors. As a result, the opportunities to utilize the benefits of economic cooperation between the two countries will also be further expanded.

In the president's speech, NSDA Executive Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh Dr. Nazneen Kausar Chowdhury said that trade, investment, technology, industry, education and human resource cooperation between Bangladesh and China is continuously increasing. As a result, the demand for skilled manpower in Chinese is also increasing. Chinese language should be considered not only as a linguistic skill, but also as an important skill for employment, professional communication and entry into the international labor market.

He said that by developing a competency-based curriculum on the Chinese language, NSDA is working to create a skilled workforce that is in line with the needs of the labor market. This will create new employment opportunities for the youth and increase the participation of Bangladesh's skilled workforce in the international labor market.

Advocate Nazmul Haque Nannu, President of the Bangladesh-China Friendship Association (BCFA), and Mirza Nurul Gani Shovon, Chairman of the Informal Sector Industry Skills Council (ISC), were present as special guests.

The workshop was attended by NSDA members and directors, relevant consultants, industry representatives, training institutions, representatives of various universities and institutions related to Chinese language, education, research and training, and experts. Representatives of various media outlets were also present at the event.