Make taxpayers’ money meaningful, PM asks researchers.

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Thursday asked the researchers and students to work hard maintaining accountability so that the research grants and fellowships they are receiving from taxpayers’ money could help achieve the desired goals. ‘The research grants and fellowships are provided from taxpayers’ money. So, the researchers and the students would have to work hard and maintain accountability so that this assistance could help us achieve our desired goals,’ she said. The prime minister was addressing a function after handing over cheques of fellowships to some selected researchers and students of Bangabandhu Fellowship, National Science and Technology Fellowship and special grant on science and technology research projects held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city. Turing to the country’s current situation, she said there are some problems as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance is continuing with their hartal and blockade programmes affecting the lives of the commoners and students, including some 15 lakh SSC examinees. She said an amount of Tk 23,30,26,000 has been provided to some 3,434 students and researchers as fellowships during her previous term from fiscal 2009-10 to fiscal 2013-14 while Tk 7.50 crore allotted in the current fiscal year for providing fellowships.

During her previous tenure, about Tk 49,30,30,000 has been provided against some 1,115 projects as research grants while Tk 12,40,50,000 allocated as research grants in the current fiscal year, Hasina said. Referring to the ongoing work on setting up of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant with assistance from Russia, the Prime Minister said if it becomes successful, then another nuclear power plant would be set up in southern part of the country. Chaired by state minister for science and technology Yeafesh Osman, the programme was also addressed by parliamentary standing committee chairman on science and technology ministry AFM Ruhal Haque. Ministry secretary Khondoker Md Asaduzaman delivered the welcome address.

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