Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday called upon the new generation to be prepared with the knowledge of science, technology and research to lead the country towards prosperity utilising their hidden talents, reports BSS.
"Our worthy children should be prepared with the knowledge of science, technology and research to lead the country in future. Hope you all will flourish your hidden talents in every sector and forward the country to make sure that Bangladesh doesn't lag behind anymore," she said.
The prime minister was addressing the award distribution ceremony among nationwide winners of Bangabandhu Talent Hunt Competition-2022 joining virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence.
Expressing her heartiest greetings to the winners, she said, "Your hidden talents are the future of our country."
The premier asked all concerned to find out hidden talents, saying, "Our children have plenty of intelligence and they are born in the era of technology. So, you should focus on searching hidden talents and utilising those for country's development."
Against the backdrop of global advancement in science and technology, she said Bangladesh has to keep pace with the evolution.
"So, we have to work on education and research of science, health, water resources, agriculture and others. We are giving most importance to the research," she said.
She also referred to her government's first separate allocation of Tk 12 crore for research particularly on agriculture to make Bangladesh self-reliant in food production after assuming power in 1996.
The premier mentioned that they allocated Tk 100 crore in the budget the next year (1997) for research, saying, "Research can show us the path (of prosperity and advancement)."
She went on saying that innovative thoughts among children can advance Bangladesh ahead.
"The new generation can march the country ahead through practice of science and technology," she said.
The premier said her government has taken various measures such as establishing science and technology universities, institutes, maritime university and medical university across the country mainly to inspire the students in science education as they found less interest among the children about science after assuming power in 1996.