Help develop human resources
President tells Asiatic Society
UNB, Dhaka
President Iajuddin Ahmed has praised the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh for its various scholarly works and said it can deliver intellectual inputs for future development of the country."Our major challenge today is to develop and properly utilise human resources in all conceivable ways. A pertinent intellectual guideline to policies and strategies is essential to cope with the enormous challenge of the future," he said while addressing the biennial general meeting of the society yesterday. President of the Society Prof. Abdul Momin Chowdhury also spoke. President Iajuddin said the ceaseless efforts of the Society to maintain its tradition and commitment to disseminating and promoting knowledge during the last 50 years deserve appreciation. Lauding its publication 'Banglapaedia', a national encyclopaedia, he said it has heralded in a new era for the Society and brought it to the intellectual arena of the world. The president also wished success of the Society's efforts to publish 'Encyclopaedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh' and 'Survey and Documentation of Culture and Heritage of Bangladesh'. Highlighting other programmes of the society like international seminars and monthly golden jubilee lectures, Iajuddin recalled the grant of Tk 30 lakh given by the government of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in 1994 for National Fellowship for Advanced Research Programme in recognition of its role in the advancement of academic and intellectual pursuits in the country. The president paid tributes to the memory of Sir William Jones, a judge of the Kolkata High Court and founder of Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784, and said because of the pioneering efforts and the untiring endeavours of the scholars connected with the Society, it has grown over the years. He, however, suggested that the Society can cooperate with the research scholars in their research pursuits and publication of their research findings. He also advised the society to widely publicise their research publications, build a central research centre and initiate a programme to honour the distinguished scholars of the country. It may be named as Asiatic Society Award and one such award, in future, may be provided by the chief patron of the Society, the president added.
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