State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj on Sunday said Bangladesh is facing a significant shortage of skilled human resources despite having millions of job opportunities.

“Everyone says there is a shortage of jobs in Bangladesh, but the reality is quite the opposite. There are millions of jobs available: the problem is finding skilled people to grab them,” he said while speaking at a skills development summit.

Global Entrepreneurship Network Bangladesh and Daffodil International University organised the programme at Daffodil Plaza in Dhanmondi.

The state minister noted that nationals from neighbouring countries, particularly India, are coming to Bangladesh and securing employment, while Bangladeshis remain jobless in their own country due to a lack of marketable skills.

Highlighting the gap between academic credentials and practical competence, he said, “When candidates appear before interview boards, they recite a list of degrees. But when it comes to skills, they fall short and that is why they fail to secure the jobs they desire.”

Bobby Hajjaj stressed that a fundamental shift in mindset is the first step towards addressing the crisis. “The core problem is our mindset. Having taught for 17 years, I have seen a serious lack of skills-oriented thinking among students. We want to bring about that change from the primary level and build a generation that is truly ready for the job market.”

He urged student participants to develop innovative, technology-driven projects capable of contributing to national development, and announced that students who successfully create practical and effective software solutions will be recognised and rewarded.

The State Minister also assured that government support will be extended to help commercialise such innovative projects.