Desk Report:
State Minister for Planning Junaid Abdur Rahim Saki, MP, stated that the government is working to build a humane, skilled, and future-ready workforce by fostering new knowledge creation, innovation, and technology-driven skills.
He emphasized the necessity of establishing effective coordination and partnerships among the government, the business and industrial sectors, and academia to make the country’s development sustainable and dynamic.
He made these remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the ‘Bangladesh Innovation Fair 2026,’ held on Monday (September 14, 2026) at the Novo Theatre auditorium in Agargaon, Dhaka.
The State Minister noted the need to further strengthen inter-ministerial coordination regarding the country’s development plans and project implementation. He stressed that coordination between the Ministry of Planning and other ministries and departments must be enhanced to eliminate the overlapping and duplication of development projects.
He added that this approach would ensure the optimal and effective use of public resources while simultaneously reducing the time and cost associated with project implementation.
Junaid Abdur Rahim Saki remarked that coordinated initiatives involving the business and industrial sectors, academia, and the government are crucial for the country’s innovation and economic development. Bridging research and innovation with the practical needs of the industry would create greater opportunities for new technologies, employment, and entrepreneurship.
He further stated that to build an innovation-led economy, new avenues of collaboration must be created among education, research, industry, and the government. This would enable the country’s young generation to become skilled enough to face future challenges.
Special guests at the event included Shahir Chowdhury, CEO of Shikho; Syed Almas Kabir, Chairman of BIIN; Dr. Naznin Kawsar Chowdhury, Executive Chairman of the National Skills Development Authority; Akhtar Uddin Mahmud, DMD of Bank Asia; Durdana Chowdhury, Director of Unilever Bangladesh; and Professor Dr. Sajjad Hossain of North South University.
