Govt to make trust for Bangabandhu Fellowship: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said the government has taken decision to turn state-financed Bangabandhu Fellowship Project into a trust so that no future government can discontinue the fellowship programme dedicated for scientific studies and research.

She said this while distributing cheques of donation among the recipients of post-graduate studies and research under Bangabandhu Fellowship and National Science and Technology (NST) Project at Osmani Memorial Hall, reports BSS.

The prime minister said a country cannot progress ignoring scientific research. Bangladesh's food autarky and vegetation round the year were results of research, she said adding the government has given utmost priority to research-based education in the national education policy framed in 2010.

Sheikh Hasina said her government after coming to power in 1996 allocated budgetary fund for the first time aimed at giving scholarship to post-graduate students for studies and research in various fields. But the next BNP-Jamaat government suspended scholarships of many students forcing them to leave their studies in the midway, she said.

"I hope that such situation will not happen again in future. So the government has taken decision to make the government financed project into a trust and accumulate ample fund so that the fellowship programme can be continued even if we were not in power," the prime minister said.

The present government introduced the fellowship project with an objective of creating qualified scientists, technologist and researchers in the country to building a science-friendly digital society and development of scientific research in the country.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology Dr AFM Ruhal Haq attended the function as special guest while minister for Science and Technology Yafez Osman was in the chair. Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology Sirajul Haque Khan gave welcome address.

This year 50 MS, 160 Phd, 11 post-doctoral students and researchers were given the fellowship for study and research at home and abroad.

The prime minister expressed her firm optimism that the recipients of the fellowship and every people, who reached to the highest altitude of the knowledge, would always uphold sense of morality, patriotic spirit and have knowledge about society, polity and state.

Pointing out her government's initiative for establishing 12 science and technology university in the country, the prime minister said the government intends to establish at least one medical university in each division to promote higher studies and research in medicine.

Pointing out the opportunities created by the public private initiatives and expansion of scholarship programme from primary to higher education level, the prime minister urged the students of all level to make the opportunities useful in their academic life.

There is no alternative to specialized knowledge in undertaking and implementation of the development plans, she said, adding that's why, the present government has been allocating funds for subject based research at graduate and post graduate levels.

The prime minister said so far 37 persons have completed their MS degree and 30 persons completed their Phd abroad under the fellowship programme, At home 38 persons have done Phd degree and eight persons completed their post-doctorial research with the fellowship.

Sheikh Hasina said the government has disbursed Taka 31.20 crore among 4,872 students for M Phil, Phd, and post-doctorial studies from 2009-2010 to 2014-2015 fiscal years. This year, she said Taka 8.33 crore would be given to 1,438 students.

The prime minister said ministry of science and technology has introduced "Research Allowance" as incentive for research students. From 2009 and 2015 fiscal the ministry has distributed Taka 57.11 crore through 1,372 projects under the incentive programme, she said adding this year a total of Taka 12 crore would be given under 390 projects.

Bangabandhu Fellowship is helping the local researchers to acquire higher educational degrees from reputed institutions abroad and thus creating scientists, technologists and researchers at national level, she said.

Terming the present time as the 'era of specialized knowledge' she said acquiring of subject-based specialized knowledge is essential side by side with attaining multi-dimensional skills. Keeping these in mind, she said, institutions are being established for subject based studies.

In this connection, she mentioned the Prime Minister's Education Assistance Trust Fund from which degree level students are getting stipend for their education.

The Prime Minister said, the government has framed a science-based national education policy giving priority to build a science and technology based society and enacted the ICT Act, 2009.

Mentioning her government initiatives taken for promotion of ICT services the prime minister said Bangabandhu Satellite would be set in to orbit within one or two years taking forward Bangladesh's technological advancement to a new height.

The prime minister in her speech also highlighted the glorious history and struggles of the nation saying Bangalees have tradition and history of long struggles and none would be able to impede Bangladesh's indomitable progress in various fronts.