DHAKA,  – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said her government has been tirelessly working to transform the country’s population into efficient workforce to cope-up with new technologies and innovations at the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR).

“The fourth industrial revolution will approach soon, so we need to develop competent human resources to make them well-suited for that,” she said while opening the 23rd national convention of the IDEB.

The premier added that her government by now has taken initiatives to face the challenge of building skilled workforce in view of the fast changing global scenario with the advent of the newer technologies.

IDEB is hosting simultaneously a 3-day international conference on the “Skills Readiness for Achieving SDGs and Adopting IR 4.0” to mark their convention at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) here.

The prime minister said the government has attached top most priority to science, technology, technical and vocational education to turn the people into skilled
human resources. “Efficient human resources are the most important element to build an economically advanced country,” she added.

In this context, the prime minister said, “We want to equip our people with the latest technical and technology based education and training so that
they can cope with the changing world.”

Sheikh Hasina said, “Efficient workforce can contribute to the development sectors of our country as well as we can send them to overseas job market as huge number of Bangladeshi workers is working in different countries across the world.”

“We want to send efficient workforce to the foreign countries,” she opined.

Institute of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) in association with the Education Ministry organised the conference.

Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, MP, and Deputy Minister of education Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury, MP, spoke on the occasion.

Institute of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) President AKMA Hamid presided over the function while its General Secretary Engineer Shamsur Rahman delivered the welcome address.

At the outset of the programme, a one minute silence was observed as a mark of profound respect to the memories of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other martyrs of the August 15, 1975 carnage, the four national leaders, martyrs of the Liberation War of 1971 and Language Movement of 1952.

Pointing out the various measures taken by her government to transform the people into efficient human resources, Sheikh Hasina said, “We have
established 500 poly-technical institutes at public and private initiatives in the last 11 years. The capacity of the public poly-technical institutes
has been increased to one lakh from 25,000.”

She said the government has taken up a project involving Taka 2,600 crore under the Indian lines of credit (LOCs) to enhance capacity of 49 poly-
technical institutes by constructing 10-storey building, women dormitory, workshop and lab.

The premier said, “We have taken initiative to set up a technical school and college in every upazila of the country. Technical schools and colleges
have already been built in 100 upazilas, creating 6400 posts for teachers and employees.”

A project of Taka 20,525 crore has already been approved to construct technical schools and colleges at the remaining 329 upazilas, she informed.

In this regard, Sheikh Hasina said Dhaka Polytechnic Institute (previously named East Pakistan Polytechnic Institute) was established at the initiative
of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The Prime Minister said, “I myself and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bangladesh-India Professional Skill Development Institute in Khulna on October 5 last year from New Delhi.” The premier said, adding the government will continue its support to implement the project.

Expressing her desire to generate employment for everyone during the “Mujib Year” celebration, she said her government has taken up and
implemented many farsighted initiatives aimed at creating employment for all.

The premier said her government is set to observe the “Mujib Year” marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She added: “We want that you people (diploma engineers) will take special initiatives to protect the environment, maintain the ecological balance and stop shrinking of arable lands marking the ‘Mujib Year’.

She also urged them to plant saplings and trees in large numbers as part of the government’s move to protect environment. In this context, she said that her government has been working to set up 100 economic zones across the country so that no arable land is destroyed due to unplanned industrialization. The economic zones will create huge employment opportunities for the country’s youths, the premier added.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has ensured food security for all as the country has achieved self- sufficiency in food. “Now I want to arrange home for all,” she added.

She continued: “I want not a single person of Bangladesh to remain homeless. Every person will get home as we have been implementing various
housing projects following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation.”

The prime minister vowed to give the people a developed and prosperous life as her government has taken every possible measures in ensuring
education and heath for all.

“We have already been able to reduce the poverty rate to 20 percent. We want to reduce the poverty rate by one or two percent more during the ‘Mujib
Year’,” she added. She said Bangladesh has become a “role model of development” due to massive development works of her government all over the country.

She went on saying, “The GDP growth now stands at 8.15 percent while we are implementing 90 percent of our development works at our own fund.”

The premier said Bangladesh will be the most developed and prosperous country in South Asia by 2041 free from hunger and poverty, as her government is implementing ‘Vision 2041’, second perspective plan 2021-2041 and formulating the 8th five-year plan. Sheikh Hasina said her government has formulated the ‘Delta Plan-2100’ to see Bangladesh in a prestigious position after 100 years.