Gazipur Correspondent

Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology and Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam has said that tech-driven development will only be sustainable when the country’s youth take the lead in driving this transformation.

"The knowledge, honesty, creativity, and patriotism of our students are Bangladesh's greatest assets for the future," he said.

The minister made the remarks on Saturday while addressing the "RoboFusion 1.0 – National Robotics Festival" as the chief guest at the campus of the University of Frontier Technology, Bangladesh (UFTB) in Kaliakair, Gazipur.

Stating that the government’s primary goal is not merely to bring technology to people's doorsteps but to foster an environment where youth transition from technology consumers to innovators, the minister highlighted ongoing priorities in artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity, research, startups, and skilled human resource development.

"Our goal is to build a knowledge-based, tech-driven, and innovation-centric economy," Fakhrul Mahbub Anam said, noting that universities must move beyond mere instruction and degrees to serve as hubs for research, innovation, and industry-academia collaboration.

Highlighting the government's six-month milestone under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the minister emphasized efforts to build a modern, technology-driven Bangladesh through universal internet access, optimal digital technology utilization, and AI integration. He also mentioned a Tk 500-crore startup fund announced by the Prime Minister to help transform small-scale innovations into successful ventures.

In response to a journalist's query after the event, the minister warned that action will be taken against companies that have secured plots in high-tech parks but failed to establish industries. He noted that the Kaliakair High-Tech Park—a flagship project under his ministry—has drawn investment proposals from Europe, China, and other countries, and assured that swift steps will be taken to secure a permanent campus for the University of Frontier Technology, Bangladesh.

Chaired by UFTB Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md. Mok塔尔 Ali, the event featured speeches by Gazipur-1 MP Md. Mujibur Rahman, former UFTB Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md. Abu Yusuf, Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Nurul Karim Bhuiyan, and UFTB Syndicate Member M. A. Mubin Khan, alongside educators, researchers, industry representatives, and student innovators.