The Bangladesh China Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCCI) hosted a pre-departure reception on Saturday at its Gulshan office for eight students of the National Institute of Textile Engineering and Research (NITER), selected for a technical training programme at Zhejiang Agricultural Business College in China.

Commerce Secretary Md Ataur Rahman Khan attended the programme as the chief guest and commended BCCCI President Md Khorshed Alam for taking what he described as a timely and exemplary initiative to develop skilled manpower for Bangladesh’s textile sector, said a press release.

He said the initiative, undertaken personally by Khorshed Alam, is a commendable and timely effort that could play a significant role in the development of Bangladesh and its textile sector. He said such initiatives by private-sector leaders create valuable opportunities for practical learning and should inspire other business leaders to undertake similar programmes in the national interest.

The commerce secretary thanked BCCCI for organising the programme and expressed hope that the initiative would serve as a model for strengthening industry-academia collaboration and providing Bangladeshi students with greater international technical exposure.

He also described the programme as a practical step towards bridging the gap between policy discussions and implementation, saying that Bangladesh’s future industrial competitiveness would increasingly depend on skilled human resources, hands-on learning and a more business-friendly environment.

Speaking at the programme, BCCCI President Md Khorshed Alam said the initiative reflects the chamber’s commitment to developing Bangladesh’s future textile professionals through international exposure and hands-on learning.

Drawing on his experience of visiting industries in 46 countries, he stressed the importance of adopting global best practices in clean production environments, workplace safety, energy efficiency and modern manufacturing technologies.

He encouraged the students to make the most of their training in China, learn from its industrial practices and bring back practical knowledge to contribute to the development and modernisation of Bangladesh’s textile and garment sector.

The programme also featured a documentary presentation on the initiative, along with reflections from the participating NITER students ahead of their departure.

Among others, Ashikul Alam Rana, director of NITER, Md Hamidur Rahman, external faculty at Zhejiang Agricultural Business College, BCCCI secretary general, senior vice presidents, vice presidents, directors, chamber members, media representatives and other distinguished guests were present.