Scientists and researchers to enable country to cope with global technological advancement: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Thursday said as her government aims at reaching the scientific and technological advancement to a new height, she wants vigorous efforts from scientists and researchers to help the country cope with newer global technologies. The scientists and researchers will have to give commendable returns to the nation to prepare people for working in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, she said.

The Prime Minister said the government would establish Bangabandhu Novo Theatre in each of the eight divisions, urging all the recipients of the fellowships and research assistances to work for the overall development of the nation.

"We will set up Bangabandhu Novo Theatre in each of our eight divisions to enable our children to get better education on science and technology," she said.

The Prime Minister was distributing cheques of "Bangabandhu Science and Technology Fellowship," "NST Fellowship" and special research donation among teachers, scientists and researchers. The Science and Technology Ministry arranged the ceremony at Osmani Smriti Auditorium.

Joining the function virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence here, the Prime Minister said her government has been doing everything possible for the advancement of science and technology mainly to build efficient human force fit for working in the fourth industrial revolution.

As part of the move, she said her government has already given nod to establish four to five Bangabandhu Novo Theatres alongside enacting a required law, adding, "We will also set up the remaining others."

The Premier said the fellowships particularly the Bangabandhu fellowship have been given mainly to attain MES, Mphil, Phd degrees on science and technology with the public money.

She added: "You people who are receiving the fellowships and research assistances, would have to work for the development of the nation with the highest labour and responsibilities." The Prime Minister said she wanted to see the returns of giving the fellowships and research assistances.

"The world is progressing with invention of newer technologies. We have to match with them as we want to build an efficient human force," she opined.

She said that Bangladesh is an agriculture-based country for which her government has been made the agriculture mechanised alongside putting emphasis on industrialisation. "The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4RI) is knocking at our door. We have to build efficient human work forces capable of working for the revolution," she said.

The Prime Minister said they are giving the fellowships and research assistances keeping in mind the 4RI. "I believe that we will march forward using talent," she said emphasizing on utilising the innovative knowledge for the welfare of the people.

On behalf of the Prime Minister, Science and Technology Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman handed over the cheques of the fellowships and donations among teachers, scientists, researchers and science students of different universities and research institutes. Senior Secretary of Science and Technology Ministry Ziaul Hasan delivered the welcome speech.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has given topmost importance to research after assuming power in 1996 and allocated Tk 12 crore for research for the first time in the country’s history and then started keeping Tk 100 crore as block allocation in the budget. 

The Prime Minister said they have so far established 12 science and technology universities across the country to encourage students to science and computer study as students had once been reluctant to study science. 

“Bangladesh attained sufficiency in food production first time in 1998 as it witnessed a sharp rise in food production since we’d given the most importance to agricultural research,” she said, adding that that Bangladesh could not attain food-sufficiency without research.

The Prime Minister has stressed the need for research on science and technology particularly on medical science. “Our research on medical science is fewer in number. So, I am giving importance to it. We’ll have to conduct research on it on a larger scale,” she said.

Noting that there was only an agriculture university in the country, she said her government established several more agriculture universities. Sheikh Hasina said that her government also established the first medical university in the country confronting many hurdles. 

The Premier said they have also established marine science research institute, biotechnology institute and novo theatre (planetarium). She said her government established a total of 23 public universities and 54 private universities since assuming office for the second time in 2009.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has given utmost priority on application and expansion of the locally-innovated technology. About fellowships, the Prime Minister said 596 persons were conferred Bangabandhu Science and Technology Fellowship and provided with an overall Tk 225.82 crore since 2010-11 fiscal year.

Since 2009-10 fiscal year, a total of 22,220 students and researchers were conferred with National Science and Technology (NST) Fellowship and provided with an overall 137.57 crore, she continued. 

The Prime Minister said, Tk 178.98 crore was also given as special research donations to different research institutes and organisations under 5020 projects. 

This year, a total of 4,182 cheques of Bangabandhu Fellowship, NST Fellowship and special research donation have been distributed, she added. Sheikh Hasina noted that “Joy Bangla” got recognition as the national slogan in accordance with the Higher Court order. 

“It has turned into our national slogan. It is a great achievement and it was obtained in that month of March,” she said, recalling that millions of martyrs had brought independence by sacrificing their lives with the slogan.

Bangabandhu had taken the ‘Joy Bangla’ slogan from the poem of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and directed the Chhatra League to popularize it, she said, adding that the Father of the Nation had given the name of Bangladesh replacing the East Pakistan.

The Prime Minister reiterated her call to follow the health guidelines accordingly and get vaccinated to be protected from the lethal Coronavirus. She added they have already opened the primary schools and are planning to bring the children under the vaccination campaign following the protocols of the World Health Organisation (WHO). 

Bangladesh has currently administered vaccines to students over 12 years of age and sent a letter to WHO seeking advice to bring students under age of seven to eight years or less to bring them under the vaccination campaign.