Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged the Bangladeshi engineers living abroad to make contribution to the country’s ongoing development as the ‘son of the soil’.
“Non-resident Bangladeshi (NRB) engineers can play immense role in development of ICT sector, agricultural and industrial production, communication and sea resources extraction,” she said while inaugurating first NRB Engineer’s Convention at a city hotel here.
The prime minister said NRB engineers can play role in overcoming the policy and institutional levels challenges to expedite the country’s ongoing development.
“Though now you are living abroad but you came from any village of Bangladesh, which is the focal point of all our development. So, I will request you to find your root and particularly think of your own village development,” the premier said.
Economic Resources Division (ERD), Bridge to Bangladesh and A2I (Access to information in Bangladesh) jointly organized the two-day convention aimed at discussing the country’s development issues and finding ways to support to the government at policy making and institutional levels.
The prime minister said Bangladesh is moving forward and as an independent country, it’s a great fortune for us to take forward the country as dreamt by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in a planned manner.
Planning Minister MA Mannan presided over the function while National Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury and Bridge to Bangladesh Chairman Ajadul Hoque spoke on the occasion as ERD Secretary Monowar Ahmed gave welcome address.
The prime minister said her government has focused on identifying an area for its specific development as well as the requisites to make the country developed in overall aspects. “Pragmatic plans helped Bangladesh to emerge as the 41st largest economy of the world and fifth fast growing nation,” she added.
Sheikh Hasina said her government has concentrated on its efforts to elevate the country’s growth to double digit in future and further reduce the poverty rate.
“Country’s poverty rate dropped to 21 percent from 40 percent over the last ten years and it has already declined further which would come to light after the census,” the prime minister said, adding that social safety net programs and “one-house one-farm” project are playing a big role in poverty reduction.
Sheikh Hasina said the government has taken steps for augmentation of food production through conservation of agricultural lands and application of modern technologies.
Bangladesh origin engineers living in around 30 different countries are attending the conference to discuss various development issues and creating a professional communication between the NRB engineers and different engineering and technical field levels people in the public and private sectors in Bangladesh.