Special Correspondent: Prominent Japanese entrepreneur and politician Miki Watanabe has announced plans to establish a driving school in Bangladesh to help recruit thousands of skilled drivers for employment in Japan.
Mr. Watanabe, founder of the Watami Group, made the announcement during a meeting with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna on Saturday evening.
“We are now looking for a 2,000-square-metre area to set up a driving school,” Mr. Watanabe told the Chief Adviser, adding that there is a high demand for qualified drivers in Japan and that Bangladesh could become a key source of such manpower.
Responding immediately, the Chief Adviser directed officials to identify suitable land for the proposed driving school, preferably on the outskirts of Dhaka.
The meeting followed up on Professor Yunus’s official visit to Japan in May, during which Japanese entrepreneurs signed an agreement with Bangladeshi authorities to recruit 100,000 workers from Bangladesh over the next five years.
Mr. Watanabe, a long-time admirer of Professor Yunus’s work, informed the meeting that he had already established a language training academy in Monohordi, in the central district of Munshiganj, to train and recruit at least 3,000 Bangladeshi workers.
“Fifty-two workers have already gone to Japan to work in the construction and agriculture sectors,” Mr. Watanabe said. He added that the academy currently trains 40 students per session but will gradually expand its facilities and network across the country to increase recruitment.
The Chief Adviser emphasized the importance of teaching Japanese etiquette, decorum, and cultural values as part of the academy’s curriculum.
“Teaching etiquette and culture should be an integral part of the academy’s training,” Professor Yunus said. “It will help Bangladeshis understand Japan deeply and prepare them better before they arrive in the country.”
Professor Yunus also encouraged the Watami founder to expand training programs in caregiving, nursing, construction, and farming, noting that skilled workers in these fields can earn significantly higher wages in Japan.
“We would like to do these as well,” Mr. Watanabe replied.
Mr. Watanabe praised the newly established Japan Cell in the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, which facilitates cooperation between Japanese investors and Bangladeshi institutions. He also expressed interest in setting up another training centre in or near Dhaka, to make it easier for Japanese companies to visit without traveling long distances to Monohordi.
The Chief Adviser immediately instructed officials to locate a ready facility—such as an unused IT park—that could be quickly transformed into a Japanese language and vocational training centre with minimal investment.
“We will work together,” Professor Yunus said. “We’ll find land for the driving school and a ready facility for the new training centre.”
Shazeeb Khairul Islam, Personal Secretary to the Chief Adviser, said that authorities would soon organize visits for Japanese investors to potential IT park sites around Dhaka.
Professor Yunus also called for greater efforts to increase the number of Japanese language proficiency tests held in Bangladesh, noting that Japan requires overseas recruits to demonstrate adequate language skills. Currently, the tests are held only twice a year, which he said is insufficient to meet growing demand.
During the meeting, Mr. Watanabe fondly recalled establishing a school in Narayanganj more than a decade ago, inspired by Professor Yunus’s vision for a poverty-free world.
“The school now has 1,500 students. It’s a wonderful institution—the students are amazing and doing very well,” Mr. Watanabe said.
SDG Coordinator and Senior Secretary Lamiya Morshed also attended the meeting.
