State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Zunaid Ahmed Palak announced the establishment of a state-of-the-art nano lab at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) at a cost of Tk 100 crore.

The state minister said the project has got Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s approval and the tender process has started. 

The state minister made this announcement while speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony of the Institute of Robotics and Automation at Buet.

State Minister Palak mentioned that the establishment of the Institute of Robotics and Automation at Buet aims to provide students with more opportunities to learn about robotics. 

He added that the goal is to extend robotics education not only to universities but also to colleges, schools, and even primary schools.

Palak said that the Prime Minister’s ICT Adviser, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, has directed them to develop skilled manpower and workers in four frontier technologies: robotics, microchip designing, AI, and cybersecurity. 

He said any initiatives taken in robotics, cybersecurity, microchip designing, and AI at Buet would receive necessary support from the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology.

He also noted that if university-industry collaboration cannot be achieved and if students are not instilled with an entrepreneurial mindset, building an innovative and smart Bangladesh will be challenging. 

The event was presided over by Buet Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Satya Prasad Majumder.  ICT Division Secretary Md. Samsul Arefin, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Abdul Jabbar Khan, among others, spoke.