<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, MP, has urged the students to be science-minded and innovative for building Smart Bangladesh envisioned by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;He said there is no alternative to practice sciences for building smart Bangladesh and facing the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution. To this end, the government has been working. Simultaneously, the students should be attentive towards science practice.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;State Minister Shahriar Alam came up with the observation while addressing a ceremony related to course closing of the second honours batch and giving honour to the retired principals of Bagha Shahdowla Government College in the district on Saturday as chief guest.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With Principal of the college Prof Abu Bakar Siddique in the chair, the meeting was addressed, among others, by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sharmin Akhter and Upazila Awami League General Secretary Ashraful Islam.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">State Minister Alam said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government is working with the determination to build a smart Bangladesh. "Digital Bangladesh has already been built and time has come to build Smart Bangladesh with the prudent and farsighted leadership of the Premier," he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said many of the youths are earning foreign currencies through freelancing and this is smart Bangladesh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;The present government has established Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-tech Park in Rajshahi and it has already started becoming an employment hub for youths creating enthusiasm among the young generation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;At present, around 400 youths have been engaged in various works, including software development, site maintenance of famous companies and file works as per demand from abroad, generating working atmospheres in the park.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier, the state minister distributed bank cheques worth Taka 8.5 lakh among 17 distressed people on behalf of the department of social services, while 32 bundles of corrugated sheets and Taka 96,000 among 16 other helpless people on behalf of the department of relief and rehabilitation. BSS</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>