Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the government is taking measures to promote health research substantially, aiming to achieve successes like in agriculture and other sectors of the country.
“We’re definitely a little bit behind in health research. In fact, research on health issues is hardly conducted in our country. Actually, our physicians are not interested in research as much as in providing services to patients. A handful of them conduct research. But we’re taking steps in this regard,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the newly constructed National Science and Technology Complex in the city’s Agargaon area, reports UNB.
She opened the complex, joining a function virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban. Others concerned got connected with the virtual event from the complex constructed by the National Museum of Science and Technology (NMST).
Hasina said it is essential to conduct health research in the country. “We’ve made good progress in the case of research in other sectors. We’ll have to go forward further.”
She said her government put emphasis on agricultural research and also got enough successes in this sector. “The research here will continue.”
The PM also stressed the need for scientific research in the country’s every field to make rapid economic progress in this age of science and advanced technology.
“We’re also focusing on how to utilise the knowledge and findings obtained through research for socioeconomic development. We’ll have to emphasise practical research alongside basic ones,” she said.
Hasina said she found no allocation for research, coming to power in 1996, and made a block allocation for research. Since then, a special allocation has been kept aside in the budget for research every year, she added.
She urged all the concerned to pay attention to research in every sector including health, food production, infrastructure development and engineering sector. “In fact, the enrichment can’t be obtained without research. It’s very essential for us to attain the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Mentioning that huge invaluable resources still remain untapped in the country, the Prime Minister asked all the concerned to pay a special attention to how these resources can be utilised for the wellbeing of people through research.
She said now Bangladesh is a developing country and it will have to be built as a developed and prosperous country.
The impacts of science and technology are on the rise throughout the world. “So, we’ll have to give special attention to research to keep up the pace of adaptation of advanced technology.”
The modern National Science and Technology Complex was constructed spending Tk 222 crore to further popularise science and technology through exhibitions and encourage the young and non-professional scientists for their innovations.
The eye-catching structure, having 300,000 square feet space, 400-seat auditorium, two seminar halls, multipurpose hall, rooftop solar system and cafeteria, will promote arrangement of national and international seminars, conference, workshops and fair on science and technology.
Science and Technology Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman and NMST Director General Muhammad Munir Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion.
