President Abdul Hamid on Wednesday called upon the OIC member countries to make better use of science and technology in alleviation of poverty through sustainable development.
"Science and Technology will work as a game changer in poverty alleviation and sustainable development," he said while addressing the second OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) summit on science and technology.
The virtual summit at Kazakhstan’s capital Nur-Sultan carried the theme “Science, Technology and Innovation: Opening New Horizons”.
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The president said the collaboration can be done on dedicated projects bilaterally or on collective basis. “Many OIC member states have similar strengths and prospects in different areas and we can complement each other,” he said.
He also called upon scientists and researchers from OIC member country to exchange their expertise and knowledge in these fields.
He said that Bangladesh is giving special emphasis to scientific research, sustainable and environment friendly technology, peaceful uses of nuclear energy in the field of food and agriculture, health, power, human resource development, blue economy and so on.
"We have already entered the elite nuclear club by constructing a 2 thousand 400 Megawatt nuclear power plant in Rooppur," he added.
Bangladesh, he said, is promoting nuclear medicine, nanotechnology, food processing and preservation, modern biotechnology, gene banking and blue economy resources.
Hamid also proposed some ideas for joint plan of action like collaboration for Research and Development among OIC member states with OIC institutional support, establishment of high-tech industry and implementation of gradual clustering projects under IDB co-financing arrangement, development of mechanisms, networks and associations of scientists and entrepreneurs, incubation support for OIC-wide commercial application of innovations and job creation and technology transfer among member states.