Bangladesh can expedite its GDP growth and alleviate poverty by training people in hospitality and catering services, as there is a huge global demand for skilled human resources in this sector, speakers observed at a discussion in Dhaka yesterday.
They also identified lack of training facilities and government reluctance as the two major hurdles to flourishing the sector.
The Refugee and Migratory Movement Research Unit of Dhaka University organised the discussion.
“Starwood that runs Hotel Sheraton in Dhaka has a plan to build 150 five-star hotels in India and China in next three years. The plan indicates how much demand for the people trained in the sector will be created in near future,” said Ghulam Mustafa, president of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies.
Mustafa also urged the individuals trained in hospitality and catering services to seek jobs abroad so they can get a global outlook and earn remittance.
“When you earn money staying in your country, you help yourself and your family. But when you send dollars from abroad, you help your country by increasing its foreign currency reserve,” he added.
Margaret Appiah of University Ghana, in her keynote presentation, said countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, the UK, Malaysia, Bahrain, Qatar, Singapore, Oman and Kuwait are emerging as leading countries that will need skilled human resources in their hospitality industry.
The hospitality industry in the UK will require 1 lakh skilled people by 2012 to keep pace with the sector's projected growth, she said.
Akku Chowdhury, executive director of Transcom Foods Ltd, said many bright young men and women are now coming to the hospitality industry. He also urged the government to develop the sector.
Government reluctance has hindered the growth of hospitality industry, CR Abrar of Dhaka University said, adding that the government should provide budgetary allocation to develop the sector.