Bangladesh and Germany have launched a joint initiative to build a skilled workforce for the country’s growing renewable energy sector, as the Technical and Madrasah Education Division (TMED) and Germany’s development agency GIZ signed an implementation agreement to roll out a vocational training project.
The agreement formally launches the Vocational Training in the Field of Renewable Energy (TVET4RE) project, which aims to equip workers with technical skills needed by the expanding clean energy industry while supporting Bangladesh’s transition towards a greener economy.
The project is being implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and follows a memorandum of understanding signed with the Economic Relations Division on 11 June.
The initiative forms part of Germany’s broader development cooperation with Bangladesh after Berlin committed €21.77 million in January for sustainable development projects in the country. The signing also marks the transition from project planning to field-level implementation.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Dhaka, Technical and Madrasah Education Division Secretary Md Daud Miah said the agreement reflected the longstanding development partnership between Bangladesh and Germany.
He said Germany had consistently supported Bangladesh’s development priorities, particularly in strengthening technical and vocational education and training, promoting sustainable economic development and building institutional capacity.
The TVET4RE project seeks to bridge the gap between policy and labour market demand by developing technical skills required in the renewable energy sector. It is aligned with the Bangladesh TVET Implementation Plan 2025–2030 to integrate green skills into the country’s technical education system.
Officials said the programme is expected to help develop a workforce capable of supporting Bangladesh’s renewable energy ambitions while creating new employment opportunities in the green economy.
During the ceremony, GIZ representatives also highlighted the organisation’s broader technical education portfolio, including the Professional Education in Industrial and Environmental Safety (PRECISE) project, which focuses on industrial safety, environmental sustainability and workforce development.
Among those attending the event were Directorate of Technical Education Director General Abul Khayer Md Akkas Ali, Technical and Madrasah Education Division Additional Secretary (Development) Shamshur Rahman Khan, Bangladesh Technical Education Board Chairman Engr Md Ruhul Amin and German Embassy Deputy Head of Cooperation Jannis Hussain.
The programme concluded with a discussion among officials from TMED, the Directorate of Technical Education and the Bangladesh Technical Education Board on strengthening technical education and advancing Germany’s development cooperation in Bangladesh.
GIZ has worked in Bangladesh since 1972 under a bilateral cooperation framework. Its current programmes cover renewable energy, climate adaptation, biodiversity, good governance, migration and the textile and leather sectors.
