Top Japanese entrepreneur plans to set up driving school in Bangladesh

A prominent Japanese businessman and politician, Miki Watanabe, has announced plans to establish a driving school in Bangladesh to help train and recruit thousands of skilled drivers for employment in Japan.

The initiative marks another step in the deepening cooperation between the two countries in manpower development and migration.

Mr Watanabe, the founder of Japan's Watami Group, unveiled the plan during a meeting with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna on Saturday evening, said a spokesman of the CA Office on Sunday.

The Chief Adviser welcomed the proposal and instructed officials to identify suitable land, preferably on the outskirts of Dhaka, for the training facility.

Mr Watanabe told Professor Yunus that his team was looking for a 2,000-square-metre area to establish the driving school.

He highlighted Japan's rising demand for qualified and disciplined drivers, noting that Bangladesh could become a major source of such skilled manpower.

The Chief Adviser's directive came as a follow-up to his official visit to Japan in May, during which Japanese entrepreneurs signed an agreement with the Bangladesh government to recruit 100,000 Bangladeshi workers over the next five years.

A long-time admirer of Professor Yunus's work, Mr Watanabe said he had already set up a language training academy in Monohordi, 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, adding that the academy currently trains 40 students per session but plans to expand gradually to accommodate more trainees across the country.

Professor Yunus underscored the need for the academy to teach Japanese etiquette, decorum, and cultural values as part of the training.

"Teaching etiquette and culture should be an integral part of the academy's programme," he said. "It will help Bangladeshis understand Japan better and integrate more smoothly when they arrive."

The Chief Adviser also encouraged the Watami founder to expand his initiatives into caregiving, nursing, construction, and farming, noting that skilled workers in these areas can earn significantly higher wages in Japan.

"We would like to do these as well," Mr Watanabe responded. Mr Watanabe commended the Japan Cell recently established at the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment to facilitate 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 visiting Japanese companies to assess progress and coordinate recruitment.

In response, the Chief Adviser instructed officials to locate a ready facility, such as an unused IT park, that could be converted into a Japanese language and vocational training centre with minimal investment.

"We will work together," Professor Yunus assured. "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 arrangements would soon be made to facilitate Japanese investors' visits to potential IT park sites around Dhaka.

Professor Yunus also called for expanding the Japanese Language Proficiency Tests (JLPT) in Bangladesh, which are currently held only twice a year. He stressed that Japan requires overseas recruits to demonstrate adequate language skills, making more frequent testing essential to meet growing demand.

Mr Watanabe, who previously established a school in Narayanganj more than a decade ago inspired by Professor Yunus's vision for a poverty-free world, shared that the institution now educates 1,500 students.

"The school is wonderful-the students are amazing and doing very well," he said proudly.

SDG Coordinator and Senior Secretary Lamiya Morshed also attended the meeting.