The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is encouraging the member states in spending one percent of gross domestic products (GDP) for research activities, the visiting chief of the organization said in Dhaka.
The contribution of the member states to research activities has been raised to 0.8 percent from 0.2 percent since 2005, OIC secretary general Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said when he called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganobhaban on Monday.
The OIC Secretary General stressed the need for exchanging scholarship programs for higher education and scientific research among the member states of the OIC.
The OIC chief, who is in Dhaka to attend the 19th conference of IAS, appreciated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s special support to scientific research and development of science and technology, said a UNB report that quoted prime minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Bijan Lal Dev.
At the meeting, the Prime Minister terming research as the only tool for making progress in science and technology said, her government for the first time allocated fund for scientific research in her government’s previous tenure.
As a result, the production of jute, rice and other crops is boosting to a great extent.
In this regard she mentioned setting up 12 Science and Technology Universities, four Agriculture Universities and four Engineering Universities in the country for further advancement in science and technology sector.
The OIC SG handed over handwritten duplicate copy of Holy Quran by Hazrat Osman (RA) to the Prime Minister. Ambassador-At-Large M Ziauddin was, among others, present on the occasion.
