Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has expressed special interest in sending Bangladeshi workers to Japan to tap into the country’s growing labour demand.

Tarique made the remarks at a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday on establishing a “joyful and employment-oriented education system, job creation, and expansion of sports infrastructure and training.”

A follow-up meeting was held on Sunday at the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.

The follow-up meeting, chaired by Senior Secretary Neyamat Ullah Bhuiyan at the ministry’s conference room, was attended by Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury and State Minister Md Nurul Haque.

Officials said that 20 commitments in the government’s election manifesto are directly linked to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment. As the manifesto of the BNP-led government has received public support, it has effectively become a national program.

The meeting discussed preparatory measures to implement these commitments.

During the discussions, it was highlighted that Japan is expected to require around 11 million young workers by 2040, while Bangladesh currently has approximately 2.3 million surplus young workers.

The meeting focused on how to transform this workforce into skilled manpower and send them to Japan and other countries.

Participants emphasised that Bangladesh must move beyond exporting primarily unskilled labour and instead prioritise the export of skilled and semi-skilled workers. Given Japan’s declining youth population, trade-specific training and language education were identified as key priorities.

Previously, 33 Technical Training Centres (TTCs) were designated to provide trade-related training and Japanese language instruction. Considering Japan’s demand, 20 more TTCs have been added, bringing the total to 53 centres now offering Japanese language and skills training.

However, a shortage of Japanese language instructors remains a challenge. The meeting discussed recruiting additional teachers to expand language training capacity.

The role of around 200 private training centers and overseas recruiting agencies in supporting Japanese language education and workforce preparation was also discussed.

Officials explored strategies to prepare in advance for Japan’s labour market so that Bangladesh can secure opportunities ahead of competing countries.

The meeting decided that a comprehensive action plan will be submitted to the prime minister within seven days. Responsibilities have been distributed among officials, and another review meeting will be held within two working days to assess progress.

It was also decided to hold a consultation meeting with relevant stakeholders, including training providers, teachers, and agencies involved in overseas recruitment, to formulate detailed recommendations.

These recommendations will be sent to the prime minister to ensure successful implementation of the government’s election manifesto.

Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury and state minister Nurul Haque urged officials to advance the initiative with professionalism and sincerity to expand employment opportunities in Japan for Bangladeshi workers.