Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Md. Tajul Islam said that today's youth will lead Bangladesh in the future. Smart Bangladesh cannot be implemented without smart citizens. Apart from citizens being smart, we need to be smart in all areas including education, health and communication system.
On Sunday (October 1) morning at American University of Bangladesh (AIUB) in Dhaka the minister said this while speaking as the keynote speaker in the discussion titled "Journey to Smart Bangladesh: Initiatives of Bangladesh Government" in the Dr. Anowar Abedin lecture series.
Tajul Islam said that today's youth and students will become leaders in science and technology.
He said, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave us independence in 1971 with the aim of building a happy and prosperous Bangladesh. His lifelong ambition was to change the fortunes of the vast masses of the country. Although the merciless bullet of the assassin did not allow the father of the nation to fulfill that dream, under the leadership of his privileged daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh is moving forward on the path of prosperity. Today Digital Bangladesh is no longer our dream, it has become a reality. Various government citizen services are now available online. Implementation of many big projects including Padma Bridge, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Matarbari Power Plant will make it easier for us to move forward in the future. At this time, he expressed optimism that these students of today will be the citizens of smart Bangladesh in the future.
He also said that the Ministry of Local Government provides rural infrastructure, road development, and pure drinking water across the country. Highlighting the details of the development of the last fifteen years in this sector, he said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is taking Bangladesh forward with specific targets. Our Five Year Plan, aiming to become a developed nation by 2041, aims to implement the Delta Plan by 2100. All these have become possible as a result of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's leadership.
The minister said that when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina dreamed of "Digital Bangladesh" in 2009, many people criticized it, but she has implemented it. Today, all the teachers and students have to make a united effort to realize the dream of Smart Bangladesh that she showed us. That is why we have to excel in science and technology because this country belongs to all of us. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's dream of Sonar Bengal will come true only when we can build a developed, prosperous and smart Bangladesh.
Dr. Carmen Z. Lamagna, Vice Chancellor of AIUB was present at the event. IBA Dhaka University Professor Dr. Er Ferhat Anwar, Jaytun Business Solutions Chairman Md. Arfan Ali, Banglalink Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Taimur Rahman, AIUB Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md. Abdur Rahman were also present at the event.