PM Sheikh Hasina seeks support from Engineers to achieve 7 percent growth trajectory

Inaugurating the 56th national Convention of Engineers Institution, Bangladesh (IEB), the prime minister said, "We want to develop the country and the key of development is in your hand. Real development depends on your sincerity."

Sheikh Hasina said all development programmes should be adopted under a well-thought-out plan and every upazila should have a sound development plan so that we can develop roads, power supply system, sewerage management and other facilities protecting our valuable land and ecology.

"Development project should not be expanded only for increasing the cost of the project. Rather every project should be cost-effective and planned that can provide better services to the people. It's my expectation from you," she told the engineers.

The President of the IEB, M Kabir Ahmed Bhuiyan presided over the inaugural session of the convention being held with the theme "Engineers for Sustainable Development" at IEB's Ramna centre.

Secretary of the IEB M Abdus Sabur, chairman and secretary of IEB Dhaka Chapter Mesbahur Rahman Tutul and Aminur Rashid also spoke on the occasion.

The prime minister handed over IEB Gold medal-2015 to two eminent personalities for their outstanding contribution to development of the engineering profession and various aspects of the society on the occasion.

The recipients of the gold medals are Vice-Chancellor of Ahsanullah Engineering University Professor AMM Shafiullah and former chairman of Rajuk Nurul Huda.

The prime minister also conferred Associate Membership of the Institution of Engineers (AMIE) to 127 engineers.

Recalling the contribution of engineers to the reconstruction activities after War of Liberation the prime minister said it is a fact that the engineers rendered their services very sincerely when Bangabandhu gave them the duty of rebuilding the war ravaged country immediately after independence.

The prime minister urged the engineers working particularly in different public sector organizations to complete the government projects within the stipulated timeframe to ensure and reach the benefit of the projects to the people.

The prime minister said every work of the engineers should have touch of modernity keeping pace with the changing world. All infrastructures should be beautiful to look at as well as environment friendly and capable to sustain in natural disasters.

In this regard she pointed out her government's support for construction of the IEB centre saying she expected construction of a modern and picturesque IEB convention center on this specious place.

But the design and architectural view of this building could not fulfill my expectation despite changing its design for two times, she added.

The prime minister said every sector of the country has got momentum as far as development issues are concerned. Particularly private sector are being given immense opportunity to flourish. Growing private sector has generated huge employment opportunities particularly for the persons with engineering background, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her government allocated 72 acres of land near Meghna-Gomti Bridge for construction of Engineering Staff College in 1997. Lands are being given at divisional level for establishment of the IEB centre, she said.

All technological institutes were upgraded to engineering universities apart from establishment of more new science and technological institutions to expand the science and technological education in the country. She said the government has attached importance to technical and vocational education and taken steps to build at least one university in each district.

The prime minister said government has given new pay scale increasing the salary of the civil servants nearly 123 percent which is unprecedented. Posts of the head of seven public sector organizations, where engineers are chief, were upgraded to Grade-1. Every organization was given the task for preparing their own ladders of their promotion which was not done by any government earlier, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said common people cannot realize the bad effect of inflation as the government manages it very efficiently. Inflation rate shot up to 13 percent during BNP and Caretaker Government. But now it's below six percent, because of the prudent and pragmatic economic policy of the Awami League government, she said.

Highlighting country's booming economic growth over 6 percent since 2009, the prime minister said Bangladesh is now one of the five countries of highest economic growth. 'We need to complete the ongoing development projects in a quick pace, she said.

The prime minister said the commitment of her party to make Bangladesh as a 'digital' one became true.

Bangladesh would have her own satellite when telecommunication would be easier. People are using digital services in their everyday work, she said.

Pointing out the issue of Padma Bridge the prime minister said many people had a notion that Bangladesh cannot do anything without help of others.

"But I always believe in our own strength. Nothing is impossible to us and we have proved it wrong by taking decision to build the hi-tech bridge with our own resources," she said adding it's also a new experience for us.

She urged the engineers to adopt innovative project for dredging of the river saying without proper dredging of the river Bangladesh will have to pay heavy tolls environmentally.

She also urged the engineers to reduce their dependency on foreign consultancy saying they take away a large amount of the project as their consultancy fees. "Do we have shortage of consultant? So why we will hire them from abroad," she asked.

The prime minister thanked the IEB for selecting the 'sustainable development' as the theme of the convention sustainable growth is crucial for national progress.