Bagerhat, September 14, 2026:
A delegation from the British High Commission and The Asia Foundation visited the Skill Institute of Technology (SKILL-IT), an initiative of the Latif Master Foundation in Bagerhat, on Monday.
The delegation included Ms. Louise Bainon, Governance Adviser, British High Commission; Sarah L. Taylor, Team Leader, The Asia Foundation; Ms. Shahnaz Karim, Governance Adviser, British High Commission; Ms. Rosie Coombe, Political Counsellor, British High Commission; and Rafiqul Islam, Executive Director, Rupantar.
During the visit, members of the delegation toured SKILL-IT’s ongoing training programs, training facilities, and various skills development initiatives. They later participated in an exchange meeting with representatives of local civil society organizations and development agencies.
During the meeting, special emphasis was placed on providing vocational training, including caregiving and Japanese language training, with the aim of developing a skilled workforce for overseas employment, reducing unemployment, and expanding employment opportunities for young people. The participants also emphasized the importance of making skills development and training programs more relevant and responsive to the demands of international labor markets.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of strengthening local capacity through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), utilizing existing local resources and potential, and mobilizing resources through coordinated initiatives involving various stakeholders to create sustainable development and employment opportunities. Participants expressed the view that effective partnerships among local institutions, civil society, the private sector, and development partners could create new opportunities for human resource development in Bagerhat.
The meeting also discussed potential areas of future collaboration between The Asia Foundation and the Latif Master Foundation, particularly in skills development, youth employment, good governance, capacity building, and local development initiatives.
Members of the delegation praised the Latif Master Foundation for its diverse development initiatives. They particularly appreciated the Foundation’s efforts to strengthen the capacity of local communities through education, skills development, employment generation, social services, and humanitarian activities.
Dr. Md. Faridul Islam, former Secretary and Founder of the Latif Master Foundation, coordinated the delegation’s visit and the exchange meeting. During the visit, he briefed the delegation on the activities of the Latif Master Foundation, SKILL-IT, and its ongoing and future initiatives.
The participants expressed hope that the visit and exchange meeting would play an important role in accelerating local development in Bagerhat through skills development, employment generation, optimal utilization of local resources, and stronger public-private partnerships.
