Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has emphasized on three issues as the basis of the fourth industrial revolution.
She was speaking at the closing ceremony of the 'Fourth Industrial Revolution International Conference-2021' organized on the occasion of Bangabandhu's birth centenary and golden jubilee of independence on Saturday (December 11). She joined the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the capital via video conference from the Prime Minister's official residence Ganobhaban.
The Prime Minister said three issues are gaining importance as the basis of the fourth industrial revolution. These are: development of industry through innovation of state-of-the-art technology, creation of trained workforce and protection of environment. Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujib enacted a constitution in just nine months after independence and included these three issues as one of the responsibilities of the state. Creation of trained citizens by adapting education to the needs of the time 'and protection of environment for present and future citizens in article 16 for removing the disparity electrifying villages, setting up cottage industry and growth other industries; in 17 ((Kha) to make education to meet the time need by making trained citizens and in 18 ((Ka) to preserve environment for the present and future citizens.
She said Pakistani troops burned banknotes before surrendering. To keep the economy afloat, the Father of the Nation printed notes with the help of friendly country India and supplied them to the market. He removed mines from Chattogram and Mongla seaports with the help of Russia and UN. He quickly activated the communication system of the war-torn country. Nationalized heavy industries, factories, banks, insurance. He started about 500 abandoned industries in Pakistan and provided employment to millions of people.
The Prime Minister said the Father of the Nation quickly started the damaged educational institutions; The University Grants Commission was established on 16 December 1972. He set up 'Qudrat-e-Khuda Education Commission' to introduce science and research based education system. Unfortunately, the father of the nation got only three and a half years. In a short time he made unprecedented progress in the fields of education, agriculture and industry. In FY 1974-75, GDP growth was above 9 percent. If he could hold on, Bangladesh would become his dream 'Golden Bangladesh' in the next 10 years.
Sheikh Hasina said the objective of industrialization was to improve the quality of life of the people, create market for new products and accelerate the pace of economy through employment. The groundbreaking evolution of industrialization for almost 100 consecutive years is noteworthy. Passing the first, second and third stages, today we have reached the threshold of the fourth industrial revolution. At this stage, the world today is divided into two for the purpose of creating affordable and green value-chains - on the one hand, rich nations inventing new technologies and easy-to-use, and on the other hand, incapable of investing in them.
"Since the formation of the government in 1996, we have focused on setting up IT infrastructure, formulating rules and creating skilled citizens with technological know-how," she said. Introduce computer courses at secondary and higher secondary level. Introduce SSC Vocational Course in one school of each police station. We approved the establishment of 16 private universities including Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Bangabandhu Agricultural School. We started the work of setting up 12 science and technology universities. We established 15 polytechnic institutes and 3 women's polytechnic institutes.
The Prime Minister said scientists believe that in the near future, humans will have to co-exist with artificial intelligence devices. Some new types of challenges have to be tackled. For example, machines will shrink the human workplace, reduce the demand for cheap labor, increase inequality, and encourage migration. Foreign investment in developing countries will decrease and inequality in technology will increase. The biggest challenge is for developed and developing countries to keep pace with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, if technology is not readily available and easily transferable.