An international conference on the "Role of Science and Technology in the Fourth Industrial Revolution" will be held at Rajshahi University from October 5-6, The conference will be organised by the university's Faculty of Science, it informed through a press release on Thursday. Sumon, Faraque elected as ERAB president, general secretary State Minister for Planning Shamsul Alam will attend the opening ceremony as the chief guest. Rajshahi University pro-vice-chancellor Prof Sultan-ul-Islam and Prof Humayun Kabir will be present as special guests and Vice-Chancellor Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar will preside over the event. According to the press release, researchers from different universities in Bangladesh will present their work at the conference. Researchers from different parts of the world will also attend the conference. Community Digital Storytelling workshop held at Islamic University Key figures from Finland, Japan, India, Australia, China, and Nepal will serve as international advisory members. Apart from the science faculty, renowned people from various institutions in the country will play a role as members of the organising committee. There will be three keynote speakers in the event. They are Vice-Chancellor of Pondicherry University of India, Dr Gurmeet Singh; Managing Director of Bangladesh Data Soft Systems Limited, Mahbub Zaman; and CEO of Wenrich International, Japan, Uchy Harley Ichihasi, said the release. 10 students receive Sitara Parveen Award for academic excellence in DU’s journalism discipline This international conference will play an essential role in improving the image of the university and the country. Already, 370 researchers have submitted their research. This number will increase. Registration can be done until September 30. Tk 3,000 for professionals and Tk 1,500 for students have been fixed for the registration, it added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday urged the Muslim community to set aside their differences and work together to regain the glorious heritage the Islamic world once had in science, philosophy, medicine and other fields of enlightenment. “Today, Muslims are in possession of a significant amount of wealth. We can bring back our lost heritage by using this resource for the development of science and modern technology. I believe it,” she said. The premier was addressing as the chief guest at the 35th Convocation Ceremony of Islamic University of Technology (IUT) held on its campus here.  IUT Chancellor and also OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha presided over the function. Hasina said Muslim scholars had reached the pinnacle of success in the fields of science, history, literature, philosophy, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, astronomy, geography, and in many other branches during the golden age of the Islam. She said Muslim scholars of that era dominated the world in culture, knowledge acquisition, scientific discoveries, and contemporary literature. The PM stressed the need for analyzing the reasons behind the fall of the Muslims who once had the glorious heritage. Internal conflict, lack of mutual respect and harmony between Muslim countries, lack in knowledge and science and many other issues have factored in the collective fall of the Muslim Ummah, she said. “To regain this lost glory, I think we the Muslim Ummah will have to work united, forgetting differences,” she said adding that the Muslim countries will particularly have to invest more in the education and science for the students of the Muslim countries and thus to develop science and modern technology. In this modern era, three Nobel prizes have been awarded to Muslim recipients that sadly are the true reflection of the contribution of the Muslim Ummah in the fields of research and development, she said. She said the Muslim nations need stronger endeavors in the fields of science and technology so that they can contribute more. The Muslim community should not fall behind in tackling the challenges presented by the 4th Industrial Revolution especially in the sectors of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Internet of Things, Quantum Computing and others, she added.   Read more: Evil forces are using advanced technology to disrupt peace: PM Hasina She said Bangladesh being a proud host of Islamic University of Technology, a subsidiary organ of OIC, will continue support for its smooth functioning. “I want to assure that we vow to keep on supporting IUT in future as well,” she said.  She said Bangladesh takes immense pride in being the host and being a part of every success story of such a prestigious institute like IUT. “I personally believe that education is a lifelong pursuance for achieving greatness,” she said. Hasina said the IUT graduates are not only serving Bangladesh and OIC member states, they are also making contributions all across the globe. She hoped that today's graduates will continue to grow their skills by working closely with technologists, innovators and scientific communities around the world in the days to come. “I strongly believe that IUT will play a pivotal role in showcasing the caliber of Muslim Ummah ….by spreading her fame as a state-of-the-art institute,” she said. Read more: 4 engineering universities sign MoUs with Walton to foster talent The premier focused on AL government’s steps and success to promote and spread Islamic knowledge keeping the dreams and ideals of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the guidelines. “We have undertaken and implemented numerous initiatives in the past 14 years and a half for the promotion of Islam,” she said. The initiatives include establishment of an Arabic university, implementation of a massive project of building 564 model mosques and Islamic cultural centres in the country,  launching the digital version of the Holy Quran, free distribution of the holy Quran among children, setting up the ‘Imam-Muajjin Welfare Trust,’ introduction of Mosque-based child education programs, launching  honors course in different Madrasas, the enactment of a law for the recognition of Qaumi Madrasas, and declaration of the status of Dawrah Hadith Certificate as equivalent to a Masters’ Certificate. The PM said her government has put special emphasis on education and research and is encouraging meritorious students by awarding scholarships abroad as incentives. “We are facilitating their way for conducting research in prestigious educational institutions at home and abroad,” she said.  Focusing on the development of Bangladesh during her government,  Hasina said their efforts have culminated in reducing the poverty rate of 41.5% in 2006 to 18.6% in 2022 and the extreme poverty rate from 25.5% to 6.7% in the same period. She said the size of the GDP in 2006 was only USD60 billion, whereas right now it has been elevated to USD465 billion. Meanwhile, the per capita income of USD543 in 2006 has increased to USD2824 in 2022. The size of the national budget was only Tk 61,000 crore in 2006, which is now over Tk 600,000 crore. “We’re going to place the new budget on June 01. Inshallah we’ll be able to give a budget of Tk 700,000 crore,” she added. Sheikh Hasina credited the stable situation and the continuation of economic development since 2008 behind this progress of Bangladesh. “Even the Covid-19 pandemic or the Ukraine-Russia war couldn’t stop our progress. Though we are facing difficulties, we’ve been able to continue it (this progress),” she said, adding that her government wants to build a knowledge-based, developed, prosperous and smart Bangladesh by 2041. The PM congratulated the IUT graduates on their successful completion of the academic curriculum. She opened a newly constructed female hall of IUT through a virtual platform from the convocation ceremony. The hall was constructed with the USD2 million grants of the government of Bangladesh. The premier announced the fund for the hall during her last visit to IUT. In the convocation, Mohammad Abu Bakar Siddique was conferred with the OIC Gold Medal and four others with the IUT Gold Medals for their outstanding academic performance. Education Minister Dipu Moni and Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen spoke at the function, while IUT Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Rafiqul Islam delivered the welcome speech.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma on Tuesday (May 30, 2023) highlighted the value of science and technology (S&T) cooperation between Bangladesh and India as an important dimension of their development partnership and a key catalyst in achieving larger national goals and finding solutions to common developmental challenges. Speaking at a symposium, he stressed that as nations aspiring to join the ranks of developed economies of the world, there was great value and necessity for India and Bangladesh to promote closer engagement in science and technology. The high commissioner said that their collaboration can also bring unique perspectives as developing countries into scientific research and innovation, creating solutions that address "our societal challenges and generating ideas that meet their developmental aspirations." He urged greater participation of younger scientists from both countries in their S&T collaboration. Read more: OIC Secretary-General commends Bangladesh’s unwavering support to development of IUT As part of the long-standing cooperation between Bangladesh and India in the field of Science & Technology, the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) hosted a joint scientific symposium in partnership with India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Dhaka. The subject of the symposium was “Advanced Functional and Smart Materials for Sustainable Development”. Verma was invited to address the symposium as the guest of honour.

Forty-two students of the Islamic University (IU) in Kushtia have won the Science and Technology Fellowship 2022-23 for special research under the Ministry of Science and Technology. Twenty-nine students from the biotechnology and genetic engineering department, six from applied chemistry and chemical engineering, and three students from mathematics received the fellowship, IU acting registrar HM Ali Hasan said on Thursday. Also, two students from the electrical and electronic engineering department and one each from the statistics and applied nutrition and food technology departments were selected for the fellowship, he added. Each student will get Tk54,000 under the fellowship programme, Ali said.  

Bangladesh and India are likely to sign a number of agreements and MoUs focusing on water management, defence, railway, science and technology; and information and broadcasting during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's India visit opening new "windows of cooperation" between the countries, officials said. The prime minister leaves for New Delhi on Monday on a four-day state visit at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. Issues related to security cooperation, investment, enhanced trade relations, power and energy sector cooperation, water sharing of common rivers, water resources management, border management, combating drug smuggling an human trafficking are likely to get priority during the talks between PM Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi at the Hyderabad House, a senior official told UNB. The visit is seen as significant amid the Ukraine crisis, global economic downturn and ongoing Covid-19 pandemic as the two South Asian neighbors seek enhanced cooperation to overcome the challenges, he said.   Hasina will visit India after three years since she last visited in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. The visit is significant for both Bangladesh and India, said the government of Bangladesh. Read: Teesta mainly depends on India: PM Hasina tells ANI The visit will further strengthen the multifaceted relationship between the two countries based on strong historical and cultural ties and mutual trust and understanding, said the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. The prime minister will lead a high-level delegation which includes several ministers, advisers, state ministers, secretaries and senior officials. Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Railways Minister Md. Nurul Islam Sujan, PM’s economic affairs adviser Dr Mashiur Rahman, PM’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid and State Minister for Water Resources Zaheed Farooque are among the delegation members, Representatives from business bodies of Bangladesh will also accompany PM Hasina. Hasina is also scheduled to attend a business event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries. The prime minister will be formally received by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi while a ceremonial guard of honour will be accorded to her. She will pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. During her visit, PM Hasina will meet Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar apart from holding bilateral consultations with her Indian counterpart Modi at the Hyderabad House. Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will call on PM Hasina, said the Ministry of External Affairs. Hasina is also likely to visit Ajmer. The Bangladesh prime minister is also scheduled to attend a lunch to be hosted by her Indian counterpart. She is expected to award the Mujib Scholarship, an initiative of the Bangladesh government, to the descendants of 200 Indian Armed Forces personnel who were martyred and critically injured during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. In recent years, both sides have sustained a high level of engagement, including at the highest level, MEA said. Defence Cooperation Last month, Bangladesh and India expressed commitment to elevating engagements between their armed forces and reviewed the progress of bilateral defence cooperation initiatives. At the 4th Bangladesh-India Annual Defence Dialogue, both sides emphasised the need to work closely to implement the $500 million line of credit extended from India for defence items. Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division of Bangladesh Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman and Indian Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar co-chaired the dialogue held last month. Different aspects of defence industrial and capability-building cooperation came up for detailed discussions. Both countries see “great potential” for cooperation in defence trade, co-development and joint production. Read: PM Hasina's India visit to take Dhaka-Delhi ties to new levels: Doriaswami CEPA Negotiations President of India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI) Abdul Matlub Ahmad has said the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), now under discussion, will be a win-win for both the countries. “It’ll benefit both sides,” he told UNB, adding that such a framework agreement will help boost trade further.  Bangladesh and India want to begin the required negotiations for signing the CEPA. The issue will further be discussed during the state visit of PM Hasina as Bangladesh and India recognize the “immense potential” of bilateral economic and commercial ties. During Modi’s state visit to Bangladesh from March 26 to 27 last year, both sides discussed the prospects of entering into a CEPA. To enhance trade between the two countries, both Prime Ministers underscored the need for removal of non-tariff barriers. Matlub, also former president of the apex trade body FBCCI, said that both sides should talk about instant supply of essential commodities like wheat, sugar, cotton and onion to Bangladesh if Bangladesh faces any shortage. “It can be reciprocal,” he said, adding that Bangladesh can also extend such support if India faces any shortage of any essentials that is available in Bangladesh. He said the private sector will have come forward in this regard but the governments of the two countries will create the ground for such cooperation. Water Sharing Bangladesh and India have finalised the text of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on interim water sharing of Kushiyara River ahead of PM Hasina's visit. The two countries also welcomed finalisation of the design and location of water intake point on the Feni river to meet the drinking water needs of Sabroom town in Tripura as per the October 2019 Bangladesh-India MoU on this subject. At the 38th ministerial level Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) meeting held in New Delhi on August 25, Bangladesh requested India in signing the MoU for withdrawal of water by Bangladesh and India from the common stretch of Kushiyara River at an early date. The Indian side assured that the issue is under their consideration. Both sides agreed to conduct the feasibility study for optimum utilization of water received by Bangladesh under the provision of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, 1996. India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, of which seven rivers have been identified earlier for developing the framework of water sharing agreements on priority.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming on Thursday said his country reassures its support to Bangladesh in the fight against the pandemic till the final and full victory. With Bangladesh endeavoring to become fully developed by its 70th jubilee, and China embarking on a new journey towards its second centennial goal, there are infinite opportunities yet to be explored to uplift the Strategic Partnership of Cooperation to a higher level, he said. The Ambassador said China will continue standing firmly with Bangladesh on regional and global issues, such as maintaining peace and security, responding to climate change, achieving SDGs, securing free trade and open economy, and developing science and technology of the next generation.  Read:China's Xi leads Martyr's Day ceremony amid patriotism drive "As the old saying goes, “ Walk alone if you want to go fast, walk together if you want to go far.” Let China and Bangladesh keep our hands joined on the way to our dreams, to a peaceful and prosperous Asia, and to a brilliant shared future of mankind," he said. Ambassador Li was addressing a webinar in celebration of the 72nd anniversary of the founding of People’s Republic of China.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday handed over Swadhinata Padak (Independence Award) to nine individuals and one institution for 2021 in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the country.   The programme to distribute the highest civilian award was held at the Prime Minister’s official residence Ganobhaban.   AKM Bazlur Rahman, Shaheed Ahsanullah Master and Brig Gen (retd) Khurshid Uddin Ahmed and Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu were given the award posthumously in recognition of their contributions to Independence and the Liberation War.  Their family members received the award from the Prime Minister. Read:10 named for Independence Award 2021 Dr Mrinmoy Guha Neogi received the highest state award for his contributions to science and technology, Mohadev Saha for literature; Ataur Rahman and Gazi Mazharul Anwar for culture, and Dr M Amjad Hossain for social work.   Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council received the award in the research and training category. Bangladesh has been recognising individuals and institutions with the award every year since 1977.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will distribute Swadhinata Padak (Independence Award), the highest civilian award, to nine individuals and one institution for 2021 on Thursday in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the country. The award-distribution programme will be held at her official residence Ganobhaban, according to sources at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). AKM Bazlur Rahman, Shaheed Ahsanullah Master and Brig Gen (retd) Khurshid Uddin Ahmed and Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu have been named posthumously for the award in recognition of their contributions to Independence and the Liberation War. Read: PM Hasina hands over Ekushey Padak Dr Mrinmoy Guha Neogi will receive the highest state award for his contributions to science and technology, Mohadeb Saha for literature; Ataur Rahman and Gazi Mazharul Anwar for culture, and Dr M Amjad Hossain for social work. Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council will receive the award in the research and training category. Bangladesh has been recognising individuals and institutions with the award every year since 1977. 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said she wanted to know the result of the researches in which the government is investing the public funds.