The educated new generation would be able to create a safe and secure world for future generations, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said.
The PM came up with the hope while delivering a speech on “Education and Empowerment of the Youth” at the renowned Waseda University in Japan on Tuesday, reports BSS.
The educated generation will ensure peace and development instead of war and destruction, she has also expressed hope.
In this regard, she has urged the young generation to work closely together as one family.
The PM said the day is not too far when they would sweep away all challenges and barriers caused by climate change and natural disasters.
Hasina put emphasis on empowerment of the young generation through education.
She said: “It is the duty and responsibility of our generation to ensure empowerment of the young students to face and overcome those challenges.”
Sheikh Hasina said her government has given highest priority to education as the educated youths are highly empowered to meet the challenges before them.
In this regard, she said the education sector is receiving the highest allocation in the country's annual budgets covering 2.3% of GDP and 14% of government expenditure to ensure “Education for All” and achieve the MDGs.
"Our government is providing free textbooks to the students up to secondary level and stipends to the poor meritorious students at all levels,” she said.
Mentioning Japan as the trusted and largest development partner of Bangladesh, she said its economic assistance helped Bangladesh's socioeconomic progress, poverty reduction and achievement of many of the MDGs.
In this context, Sheikh Hasina highlighted some major achievements during the last five years of her government including self-sufficiency in food, internet facility to 47.5 million users, introduction of 3G technology and with 4G in the offing, use of 110 million SIM cards, establishment of 13,500 community health clinics reaching medical treatment to the poor.
Besides, her government has also been able to increase life expectancy to 69 from 65 in 2005, reduce infant mortality rate to 33 from 65 in 2005 and maternal mortality rate to 182 from 322 in 2001 and ensure social safety nets for low-income and distressed people, she said.
Sheikh Hasina mentioned that a significant portion of the country's young population of 160 million people are students and a number of them travel abroad every year for advanced education and research in countries like Japan.
Praising the role of Japanese Overseas Cooperative Association for sending young volunteers to Bangladesh over the last 40 years, she said, they are contributing to the rural economy, education and infrastructural development of Bangladesh.
Recalling her previous visit to the Waseda University in 1997, Sheikh Hasina said: "On entering this prestigious seat of learning, the animated faces of the students and the quiet dignity of the academia, reminded me of my previous visit here in 1997."
She mentioned that the esteemed Waseda University conferred on her on that occasion the Honorary Doctorate of Law and she cherish the wonderful memories of that special day.
She also joined an interaction session with the students there.
Vice president of the university Uchida Katsuichi also spoke on the occasion.