Invent green tech to tackle climate change
Prime minister urges scientists
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called upon scientists to conduct more research on inventing local green technologies to tackle the adverse impacts of global warming and climate change.
She said this after inaugurating the “Designated Reference Institute for Chemical Measurements” at Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) in the capital.
Hasina mentioned that food items, drinks and drugs will be tested in the newly opened institute while prescription on quality control will also be provided to industries.
In this regard, she also urged chemical analysts and researchers to bring the quality of local products up to international standard.
She also called upon scientists, researchers, teachers and students to conduct sustainable research and apply those while ensuring the highest productivity of industries and the services sector with the use of information technology.
Stressing the need to make researches more fruitful considering the country's socio-economic development aspect, she also suggested researchers to conduct more applied research apart from basic research.
“We need sustainable research so that innovations become affordable and people can apply those to increase their agricultural and industrial production.
“It will also enhance the standard and scope of services and ensure the maximum utilisation of local resources,” she said.
Hasina noted that the institute will help entrepreneurs compete in the global market under the present world of globalisation.
There will also be the scope to test machineries of other laboratories and institutions. “As a result, people will get standardised products and services and I hope the market for exports will expand,” she said.
She mentioned that BCSIR was modernised and its research capacity was enhanced with the introduction of some world class laboratories there.
Inventions of BCSIR, including the arsenic and formalin detection kits, arsenic removal filter, biogas plant and high quality stove, gained popularity and helped improve the living standard of the masses, she said.
Considering the growth of the population and economy and decrease of farm land, fodder fields and sanctuaries, emphasis must be given on the production of sufficient nutritious food, accommodation and ensuring sound health for the populace, she added.
She also called upon researchers to consider these things while selecting the contents of their research.
Hasina recalled that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman established BCSIR in 1973 to bring the country's renowned scientists together and invent sustainable technologies for scientific research and industries.
She said Bangabandhu established Agriculture Research Council and simultaneously set up national institutes to conduct sector-wise research on paddy, jute and fisheries.
Hasina mentioned that after assuming power in 1996, her government had enacted laws to set up 12 science and technology-based universities, most of which are already running.
She said her government had also introduced donations and fellowships on conducting research in science and technology but the “successive BNP-Jamaat government stopped those.”
“After assuming power this time, we have reintroduced those,” she said.
Hasina said her government is emphasising on inventing sustainable technologies and strategies so that agro-based industries flourish while encouraging the setting up of agro-processing industries.
She urged all concerned, scientists, researchers, farmers and entrepreneurs, to work in unison in building a hunger and poverty-free, peaceful, modern and science and technology-based “Sonar Bangla” by 2021 as dreamt by Bangabandhu.
State Minister for Science and Technology Yeafesh Osman chaired the function.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the ministry Al-Hajj Md Dabirul Islam, lawmaker Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Secretary to the ministry Dr Abdur Rab Hawlader and BCSIR Chairman Dr Ahmed Ismail Mustafa also spoke on the occasion.
Later, Hasina visited the institute's laboratory and went through different methods and products innovated by BCSIR scientists.
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