Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has urged the students to follow the health directives while continuing their pursuit of knowledge so that when the right time comes they can come forward as an asset to humanity.

“The world is passing through an unprecedented time due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But at the same time, we are all moving forward to achieve our goals through adaptation and innovation in this changed reality,” he said.

The Foreign Minister was addressing the freshers’ reception ceremony of the Islamic University of Technology (IUT) on Saturday.

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Askar Mussinov, Assistant Secretary General for Science and Technology, OIC, Chief patron Prof. Dr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, Vice-Chancellor of Islamic University of Technology, and Dr. Omar Jah, Pro- Vice Chancellor of IUT, also spoke at the event held virtually.

Referring to achievements made by the young people across the world, Dr Momen said, “Let us applaud all of them and take it as a challenge that you can also do it. There is no reason why you cannot do it.”

He also said, “Allah has given everything that you need. Remember, the past is history, the future is a mystery, but the present is a gift from God. Now it is you who have to make the best use of your time and energy with commitment and motivation to excel in performance and achievements.”

Quoting the message that is written at the entrance gate of a University, the Foreign Minister said destroying any nation does not require the use of Atomic bombs or the use of long-range Missiles. “It requires lowering the quality of education and allowing cheating in the examinations by the students."

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He recalled with gratitude that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman whose historic participation in the 2nd OIC Summit in 1974 brought Bangladesh into the fold of OIC as a consequence of which the IUT, a subsidiary organ of the OIC, emerged in Bangladesh within a few years of OIC membership.

Bangabandhu believed that this organization should be the collective voice of Muslim World and it would work to promote international peace and harmony among various countries of the world, Momen said.