Speakers at a seminar on Tuesday termed Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant a symbol of dignity of the nation.
Atomic Reporters Bangladesh (ARB) organised the seminar on “Bangabandhu’s Thoughts on 50 Years of Science and Technology in Bangladesh” at CIRDAP auditorium in the capital.
Architect Yeafesh Osman, Minister for Science and Technology, while addressing as the chief guest said, “Rooppur is not only a power plant, it symbolises dignity of the nation. It will take Bangladesh a few steps ahead in the international arena.”
“Bangabandhu had talked about the project with France after independence. If he had survived, the project would have been achieved long ago. We were walking aimlessly because of the sin of killing him,’ the minister added.
‘The Prime Minister had visited the project area three times before completing the total work. She has to go more times. There is no precedent of going to any other project so many times, because the project is very important,’ Yeafesh Osman continued.
The minister said, "We have trained 500 boys and girls. No one can say they had to spend a penny as bribe. About 20,000 people are working in two shifts at the project. Our people have achieved ‘A’ grade in the field of work and have taken a place all over the world.”
Former Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University and Chairman of Board of Directors of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) AAMS Arefin Siddique said Bangabandhu's life was science-centric. He said there will be no clerk-making education system in Bangladesh. It is difficult to discuss Bangabandhu on a small and limited scale. When the treasury was empty after the war, he nationalized the primary education. This is possible for a truly wise man.
‘Bangabandhu has moved Bangladesh from ignorant society to knowledge-based society. We have to take his progress forward in a proper way,’ he continued.
‘It is not always possible to bring experts from outside. That is why we have to train up our own people for skill development. We have a lot of talented boys and girls. They have to be built. The young generation must be educated with science in mind,’ Arefin Siddique added.
Project Director of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Dr Shaukat Akbar said, “If you look at the world-famed personalities, their philosophy and Bangabandhu's philosophy are similar. In 1966, Bangabandhu emphasized the importance of foreign funding for the project. He regretted that the project was not implemented in 1970. Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project is Bangabandhu's dream project.
ARB president Ariful Sazzad moderated the seminar while vice president Mohammad Nasrullah and secretary Fayez Ahmed Tushar addressed the programme.
Istiaq M Syed, professor of physics at Dhaka University, said “Bangabandhu said there could be no better investment than education. We could not achieve the education that Bangabandhu spoke of in the field of science and technology. We are lagging behind, especially in technical education.”
Ali Hossain, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, said that various fellowships are being given to spread science consciousness. Various researches are being used.
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission Chief Scientific Officer Dr. A F M Mizanur Rahman said another nuclear power plant project would be set up in South Bengal. Survey work on this project is underway. For site selection, work has started by selecting 15 places in 15 districts of the southern region. Then 5 sites are pre-listed. At present the information is being checked and sorted.
Among others, ARB Vice President Mohammad Nasrullah and Secretary Fayez Ahmed Tushar also spoke there.
Later, the minister unveiled a publication of ARB.
