Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad on Sunday said currently there is no market for unskilled labourers abroad but demand for skilled manpower has increased.

He said this while addressing as the chief guest at the inaugural programme of newly built Technical Training Centre (TTC) in Raninagar upazila of Naogoan on Sunday.

The minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken an initiative to set up TTCs across the country to create employment opportunities and earn foreign currencies through developing skills of people.

He said the government has also taken measures to send skilled farmers abroad but the farmers must have certificates on their skills.

As per the directive of the prime minister, such training centres are being set up and the government has a plan to establish training centres in each upazila in phases for people’s skill development, he said.

The minister said the training centres will have to be taken to a stage so that trained workers can be sent abroad immediately after they get training.

A total of 880 people will be able to take six-month long training on 6 trades at the Raninagar’s TTC built at the cost of Tk 34.71 crore.

Chaired by Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training General Director Md Shahidul Alam, local lawmaker Md Anowar Hossain Helal, Project Director Saiful Haque Chowdhury and additional deputy commissioner Md Zakir Hossain, among others were present.