BRAC Road Safety Programme and Japan’s General Incorporated Association Kodomo Museum Project have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop skilled and semi-skilled Bangladeshi workers, particularly professional drivers, for employment opportunities in Japan alongside cultural exchange initiatives.
The agreement, signed on 11 June 2026 at the BRAC head office in Dhaka, sets out a three-year collaboration focused on human resource development, language training and mobility-linked employment pathways.
Ahmed Najmul Hussain, Director of the BRAC Road Safety Programme, and Goto Masayo, Director of the Kodomo Museum Project, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations.
The partnership comes amid rising labour demand in Japan, especially in transport and logistics, where shortages of professional drivers have opened opportunities for overseas recruitment.
Under the framework, Bangladeshi youth will receive structured Japanese language education, specialised driving training and career support services to improve access to jobs in the Japanese transport sector.
Beyond employment facilitation, the agreement places emphasis on cultural exchange programmes aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties between Bangladesh and Japan. Both sides will jointly promote initiatives centred on youth engagement, road safety awareness and cross-cultural understanding.
BRAC said the collaboration would also support safe mobility and the development of internationally trained drivers capable of meeting professional standards in overseas markets, while creating sustainable pathways for Bangladeshi workers in the transport sector.
The Kodomo Museum Project, a Japan-based organisation engaged in education, cultural exchange and community development, will bring its international outreach experience into the partnership framework.
Officials said the initiative is designed to combine workforce development with cultural diplomacy, strengthening both economic and social links between the two countries.
The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from Japanese business and design firms, including Ichioka Company Ltd, MKP Designers Co Ltd and Tomoni Co Ltd, alongside officials from BRAC Road Safety Programme.
Participants expressed optimism that the partnership would help address Japan’s labour shortages while expanding employment opportunities for Bangladeshi youth and deepening bilateral cooperation.
