President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said public and private universities should prioritise developing skilled professionals to meet the country’s needs.

He made the remarks during a courtesy call by a delegation led by Dr Md Sabur Khan, chairman of the Board of Trustees of Daffodil International University, at Bangabhaban on 8 October, 2026, according to the press release.

The president questioned why Bangladesh still needed to recruit foreign workers for strategic installations, ports, specialised institutions and private companies more than 50 years after independence, despite producing a large number of graduates each year.

During the meeting, Sabur Khan briefed the president on the university’s overall academic activities.

He said the university has its own Patent Development Department, which helps researchers secure patent rights for their innovations and supports their commercialisation.

He also highlighted the university’s teaching and research in employment-oriented fields, including production and multimedia, nutrition and food, fisheries, and information and communication.

He said these activities were contributing to the university’s progress in various global rankings.

The president expressed satisfaction with the initiatives, thanked the delegation and urged the university to maintain the quality of its education.

Sabur Khan formally invited the president to attend the university’s upcoming convocation ceremony as a chief guest.

The president’s military secretary, secretary and press secretary were present at the meeting.

The university’s vice-chancellor, pro-vice-chancellor, members of the Board of Trustees, deans and registrar also attended.