PM for raising capacity to fight fallout
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged the country's scientists and technology experts to come up with new technological invention and environmentally friendly use of technologies to protect the people from the wrath of global climate change.
"Climate change has become the biggest threat for the world civilisation. Bangladesh and its hardworking people have been the worst sufferers of the climate change with no fault of its own.
"Now we want to increase our capacity to face the challenges of the global warming," Hasina said.
She gave the call while addressing the National Science and Information and Communication Technology Fellowship distribution ceremony at the city's Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the morning.
Bangladesh wants to hold its head high in the international arena even amid the tough challenges of the climate change, she said.
"Come up with environment-friendly technologies and ensure innovative implementation of modern technologies. Country's mass people on whom our country depends are the biggest victim of climate change.
"I urge you, the scientists and technology experts, to come forward to increase capacity of the people to face the climate threats."
Mentioning the disastrous consequences of the cyclonic storms Sidr and Aila in the coastal areas, the premier said Bangladesh needs to invent salinity and drought-resilient crops for increasing food production in the coastal districts.
She noted that many Bangladeshi scientists are working with reputation in various internationally renowned institutions and they can play tremendous role for the advancement of science and technology of the country.
"I urge those scientists and technology experts who are now staying in the country to work hand in hand with those now working in the foreign countries."
The PM said her government wants to turn Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2021 through multi-purpose use of science and technology. "Science and technology will be the main medium in our efforts for a changed day."
She laid emphasis on inventing Bangladesh's own technology instead of looking for technologies from overseas countries.
"At the same time, we can use other countries' technologies in our own style," she said, adding that in this regard, country's scientists and technological experts and researchers will have to play the leading role.
Hasina assured that the present democratic government will extend all types of cooperation including financial assistance to the scientists and technological experts for the advancement of science and technology of the country.
She said there is a notion in the country that people can go to the government for their various necessary services and the government will give them the services.
"Such notions and practices need to be changed. We want to take the government to the doorsteps of the mass people. And for this, we need new and cost-effective implementation of modern technologies."
The PM also asked the persons concerned to be attentive in inventing modern technologies using whatever Bangladesh has in its own hand.
For example, Hasina mentioned her last government's initiative to break down the monopoly of mobile phone company as a result of which mass people also had been able to have mobile phone technologies.
"Now some five crore people of the country have mobile phones. We will have to give our attention whether the vast portion of the population can be facilitated by providing government information or loan services," she said.
Hasina stressed the need for introducing solar energy in agriculture.
About atomic energy, she said the government has decided to generate electricity through peaceful use of the atomic energy.
The PM congratulated those who were awarded with the fellowships and expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the ministry concerned so that the scientists can be given the fellowships and the financial donations at the outset of the fiscal.
A total of Tk 22 million will be distributed among 409 students as fellowships and another Tk 140 million will be given against 185 projects as grants.
With State Minister for Science and Technology Yafesh Osman in the chair, the function was addressed by Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique and ICT Secretary AKM Abdul Awal.
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