Ensure research knowledge for people's wellbeing: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged the researchers to ensure that the practical use of their research knowledge is for the wellbeing of the country’s people.

“The practical application of your invented knowledge should be for the welfare of the people. So, I also want to see what would be the impact of the research you are doing now,” she said.

The prime minister this while conferring ‘Bangabandhu Science and Technology Fellowship,’ ‘NST Fellowship’ and special research donation among teachers, scientists, researchers and science students of different universities and research institutes.

The Science and Technology Ministry arranged the ceremony at Osmani Smriti Auditorium, while the PM joined the event virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.

On her behalf, Science and Technology Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman handed over the cheques of the fellowships and donations to them.

Sheikh Hasina said the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) is now knocking at the doors. “So, we’ll have to create skilled manpower for it (4IR). We’ve been assisting you (researchers and students) keeping it in mind. We want the people of the country to get assistance from you,” she added.

Noting that the fellowships and research donations are provided from the government’s revenue fund, she said, “You, those who are getting the fellowships will have to work hard for the national development with utmost responsibility.”

The prime minister said the world is marching forward with new inventions in technology. “We’ll have to cope with its pace (the pace of the rapidly changing world),” she added.

Senior Secretary of Science and Technology Ministry Ziaul Hasan delivered the welcome speech.

This year a total of 4,182 cheques of Bangabandhu Fellowship, NST Fellowship and special research donation have been disbursed.

Hasina said her government has been giving the utmost importance to application and expansion of locally-innovated technology.

“Since we’d given the most importance to agricultural research, our food production increased and Bangladesh attained the sufficiency in food production for the first time in 1998,” she said.

Noting that Bangladesh could not attain food-sufficiency without research, she put emphasis on the science research, particularly medical science research.

“Our research on medical science is fewer. So, I am giving importance here that we’ll have to conduct the research in a larger way here,” she said.

The PM said her government gave the utmost importance to research after assuming power in 1996 and established science and technology universities, agriculture university, medical university, marine science research institute, biotechnology institute and novotheatre (planetarium).

Back to power again in 2009, her government established a total of 23 public universities and 54 private universities, she said.

Having ‘Joy Bangla’ as the national slogan is a big achievement:

Sheikh Hasina said today ‘Joy Bangla’ got recognition as the national slogan as per the High Court’s order.

This ‘Joy Bangla’ slogan had been taken from the poem of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. It is Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Rahman who made it a slogan and he had directed the Chhatra League to popularize it.

“It has turned into our national slogan. It is a big achievement, which was obtained in the month of March,” she said.

Talking about fellowships, the PM said a total of 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 said.

Besides, Tk 178.98 crore was given as special research donations to different research institutes and organisations under 5020 projects, said the prime minister.