Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday laid the foundation stone of 10-storey Dr Wazed International Research and Training Institute at BegumRokeyaUniversity, Rangpur through a videoconference from her official residence Ganobhaban. She also laid the foundation stone of a 1000-bed and 10-storey hall, ‘Sheikh Hasina Hall’, for female students of the university. The research institute will be built at an estimated cost of Tk 26.87 crore while the Sheikh Hasina Hall at Tk 51.35 crore. Addressing the programme, Sheikh Hasina urged the country’s students to stay away from militancy and terrorism so that these two menaces can never gain ground in Bangladesh. “I call upon teachers, students, guardians and officials and employees of educational institutions to remain alert in this regard (terrorism and militancy). We want to turn Bangladesh into a peaceful country in South Asia,” she said. The Prime Minister said talented students are often being diverted to the wrong path through creating confusion among them. Hasina also urged the teachers to play their due role in developing their students as true and qualified human being to be able to maintain Bangladesh’s recognition as a development role model in the global arena.
Hasina expressed gratitude to the authorities concerned for naming the research and training institute after her husband and eminent nuclear scientist of the country late Dr MA Wazed Miah and thus taking an effort to highlight his life and works. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid and Rokeya University VC AKM Nurunnabi spoke on the occasion while Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and MPs of Rangpur division, including HN Ashiqur Rahman, Tipu Munshi, Nurul Isalm Sujon, Ramesh Chandra Sen and Motahar Hossain were present at Ganobhaban. Besides, Information Secretary Martuza Ahmed, Education Secretary Md Sohrab Hossain, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim were present while PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury moderated the videoconference.
