<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday hailed the engineers as the driving force for transforming the country into a smart Bangladesh.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“For building smart Bangladesh the main driving force is the engineers of the country,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The prime minister was speaking at the 61st convention of Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) at its premises in the city.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She referred to her government's goal of building a smart Bangladesh by 2041. This will mean having smart population, smart government, smart economy and smart society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We will build Bangladesh this way. And for that I will ask the engineers to make plans using their merit and creativity,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She requested the engineers to find ways on how the country would be advanced and which sectors would be given priority for that purpose.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I want your advice which will be beneficial for us. And I hope that you will give that,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hasina also urged the engineers to discuss strategies by which the country would be developed quickly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She put emphasis on the engineering sector in their universities and staff colleges.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She mentioned that the government is mechanising the agricultural sector to enhance production.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“If we want to increase our agricultural production three to four folds then we have to mechanise this sector,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said that due to the industrialisation and increase of per capita income sometimes it becomes difficult to find agricultural workers.The cost of production has also increased.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“For that we are introducing mechanisation in the agricultural sector, and as a result the production has been increased,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The prime minister requested the engineers to get involved more in research works to utilise their talents for the purpose.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I want that you would give special attention to this purpose,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Prime Minister also handed over awards including gold medals and certificates to different levels of engineers, centre, sub-centre, engineering division and graduates of AMIE examination.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An audio-visual presentation on the contribution of the engineers to country's development as well protecting its environment alongside the theme song marking the IEB's 61st was played at the function.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) chairman of Dhaka Centre Engineer Mohammad Hossain delivered the welcome address.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">IEB President Engineer Md Abdus Sabur and IEB General Secretary SM Monjurul Haque Monju also spoke.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">IEB Dhaka Center General Secretary Engineer Nazrul Islam gave vote of thanks. According to UNB reports </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd/fas</div>