Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the government wants to blend Fourth Industrial Revolution with labour intensive industries aiming to create employment opportunities for a greater number of people in the country.

“Technologies are changing every moment, now Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is knocking at the door. May be we will need less manpower, but we have to use technology, information technology. For that we need skilled manpower,” she said.

The prime minister was distributing cheques of "Bangabandhu Science and Technology Fellowship," "National Science and Technology Fellowship" and special research donations among teachers, scientists, researchers and students of different universities.

The Science and Technology Ministry arranged the ceremony at Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

Hasina said that the government does not want to embrace 4IR completely.

“But we do not want to go that direction completely; we want to set up labour intensive industries also. Because we have to ensure employment of the huge population. So blending with these two we have to advance our country, that must be kept in your mind,” she said.

The PM requested the researchers to do their work with utmost sincerity and she expressed her eagerness to be informed about the outcome of these researches time to time.

She reiterated her call to give special focus on medical science research, urging all to move the country forward with fresh inventions to cope with the newer global technologies.

“I can say with sadness that though research on agriculture and science is going on, but our research on medical science is fewer in number. Give special attention to medical science research which is required greatly,” she said.

She noted with dismay that a section of physicians either join the government services or politics after acquiring MBBS degrees shunning practices and research.

She said another section is busy with earning money for which they do government services and private practices at the same time.

“Fewer people are doing research on medical sciences. Research on medical science has increased a little bit after I have told it time and again,” she said.

The prime minister said her government aims at reaching the scientific and technological advancement to a new height for which she wants vigorous efforts from scientists and researchers to help the country cope with newer global technologies.

The scientists and researchers will have to give commendable returns to the nation to prepare people for working in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), she said.

Hasina said that the government has been doing everything possible for the advancement of science and technology, mainly to build an efficient human force fit for working in the fourth industrial revolution.

She said that the government has conferred Bangabandhu Science and Technology Fellowship and provided with an overall Tk 268.70 crore since 2010-11 fiscal year to 2022-23 FY.

Since 2009-10 fiscal year to the current fiscal, a total of 25,701 students and researchers were conferred with National Science and Technology (NST) Fellowship and provided with an overall 157.51 crore.

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The PM said that Tk 177. 54 crore was also given as special research donations to different research institutes and organisations against 5521 projects since 2009-10 FY.

She said her government has been giving the fellowships and donations to create more skilled scientists, researchers and technologists for the advancement of Bangladesh in a smarter way.

“We have taken measures to cope with the developed world, so we have to march our country ahead following the way the developed countries are run,” she said.

PM Hasina said that she doesn't want Bangladesh to lag behind anyone in any way for which the country needs to build huge skilled and smart manpower with knowledge of technology.

She said the government will build a developed, prosperous and Smart Bangladesh by 2041 by transforming every sector that includes economy, agriculture, health and the people into smart ones.

Hasina extended her wholehearted greetings to the agriculture researchers as Bangladesh has achieved the most success in agriculture for which the country has become self-relian in food production.

She said Bangladesh has not only achieved success in producing grains, but also in production of vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, egg and milk.

“The success we have achieved is the result of research,” she said.

Read more: Boost research on agriculture to increase production: PM Hasina tells scientists

The prime minister said that a marine science research institute has been established for conducting extensive research to tap the potentials of the blue economy to the overall development of Bangladesh.

She said they are establishing Bangabandhu Novo Theatre in each of the eight divisions to enable the children to get a better education on science and technology.

She said the government has so far established 12 science and technology universities across the country to encourage students to science and computer studies as students had once been reluctant to study science.

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Noting that there was only one agriculture university in the country, she said her government established several more agriculture universities.

Hasina said that her government also established the first medical university in the country confronting many hurdles.

She said her government has given utmost priority on application and expansion of the locally-innovated technology.

The PM wants Bangladesh to march ahead towards a developed nation from the existing status of a developing nation under the leadership of a new generation.

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“The new generation will be the soldiers to ensure continuation of Bangladesh’s march towards advancement. So, we need to have confidence which will give us inspiration and power to this end,” she said.

Science and Technology Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman and its Senior Secretary Ziaul Hasan spoke at the function.