'Engineers need to play a more effective role in food and energy security'
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that engineers have to play a more effective role in environmental development, implementation of delta plan, fourth industrial revolution, construction of suitable infrastructure to deal with climate change and its adverse effects and achieving food and energy security.
She said, "I expect that engineers will play an important role in building a developed-rich smart golden Bangladesh of the Father of the Nation's dream by 2041."
She said this in a speech on Monday (May 6) on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) and 'Engineers Day' tomorrow.
The Prime Minister said, "I extend my best wishes and congratulations to all concerned on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) and 'Engineers Day'."
She said that the greatest Bengali of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman got the time to run the country for only 3 years 7 months 3 days after independence. During the war of liberation, Pak invading forces destroyed 278 railway bridges and 270 road bridges. He re-established communication by repairing and building roads, road-bridges, railways, rail-bridges destroyed in the war. In addition to repairing the damaged road bridges, Bangabandhu's government constructed about 490 kilometers of new roads. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib rebuilt the war-torn country in the fastest possible time. Engineers were one of the main associates of Bangabandhu in this work.
The Prime Minister said that the Awami League government has been responsible for running the country since 2009 and has implemented comprehensive programs for the development of road, rail, marine and communication infrastructure including Padma Bridge, Metro Rail, Elevated Expressway, Bangabandhu Tunnel, LNG Terminal, Rooppur Nuclear Power Project, 100 Special Economic Zones in the country. The Engineers have been playing a key role in implementing these development activities.
She also said that our government is always on the side of engineers. During the period 1996-2001 we have registered 10 bigha land in Ramna for construction of IEB building. Besides, we have allocated Tk. 5 crore to start the building work, 72 bigha of land for construction of Engineering Staff College in Daudkandi, Tk. 46 crore to start the construction work of the 2nd phase of Staff College, KDA land allocation for Khulna center, 2 bigha for IEB in Purbachal. Land, provided land for Rangadia, Mymensingh, Faridpur, Dinajpur centers and Feni and Cox's Bazar sub-centres. I have allocated a total of Tk. 46 crore for the IEB building.
The Prime Minister wished for the overall success of all the programs undertaken on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB).