Invest more in education, health, PM urges developed nations

She made the call when visiting Director General of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) Professor Folf- Dieter Heur called on her at her official residence Ganobhaban here this evening.

After the meeting, PM's special assistant Mahbubul Hoque Shakil briefed reporters.

He said that the Prime Minister mentioned that the present government put emphasis on the science education to popularise
it.

In this connection, she said that during the 1996-2001 tenure, her government took initiatives to set up 12 science and technology universities.

She also mentioned that the government made efforts to grow interests among the students in science education, particularly in Physics.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh needs more science teachers, particularly Physics, and sought the cooperation of the CERN to train up the science teachers of Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina said science education and research were neglected in the country for a long time. But, she said, during her 1996-2001 tenure, her government increased the allocation for science-based research works significantly.

She said due to her government's various time-befitting and pragmatic steps, the number of science students at graduation level increased to 2.2 million from 1.1 million in the last five years.

Professor Folf-Dieter Heur recalled the contribution of renowned physicist Sattyan Bose and eminent nuclear scientist Dr MA Wazed Miah to the field of science.

Folf-Dieter Heur is now in the county to attend the DU convocation, which will be held tomorrow, as the convocation speaker.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, DU vice chancellor Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique, ambassador at large M Ziauddin, PM's principal secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikdar and special assistant Mahbubul Hoque Shakil, among others, present during the call on.