The BNP government would set up four new engineering colleges in the country, with a view to developing a strong and competitive workforce, said Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Saturday.

The minister made the remark at an event held at the Dhaka Polytechnic Institute, Tejgaon in the capital.

The government acknowledges that the traditional education alone cannot build a strong workforce in the increasingly competitive world, the minister said.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman now gives the highest priority to expanding engineering and technical education, and for realising the goal the current education system needs a major overhaul, Ehsanul Hoque Milon said.

The government is also seeking foreign assistance to this end.

During Tarique’s recent visit to Beijing, the PM signed an MoU with the Chinese side on receiving support for improving the country’s technical education standards and skills.