The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed on Monday called upon all concerned to provide the cutting edge of information technology and ensure best use of it for the greater interest of the country.

"The unforeseen development of IT sector gives us enormous opportunity to gather knowledge on one hand and throws us some challenges on the other. In this backdrop, the updated IT knowledge is a must for all in order to pick up the advantage of IT," he added.

The President said this while addressing the 8th convocation of American International University, Bangladesh (AIUB) at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar here on Monday morning.

Vice chancellor of AIUB Dr Carmen Z. Lamagna, chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC) Professor Nazrul Islam and founder chairman of the board of trustee of AIUB Dr Anwarul Abedin sopke on the occasion.

Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh Masayuki Inoue also addressed as the convocation speaker.

Military Secretary to the President Major General Mohd Aminul Karim, Secretary Md Sirajul Islam and Press Secretary Abdul Awal Howlader were present.

Prof Iajuddin said universities, as the center of excellence, play a pivotal role in creating human resources to face the growing challenges of IT.

"I have observed that the revolution of information technology as well as the emergence of market economy has challenged us to a great extent. However, the competitive nature of the global economy and the digital divide can be responded by harnessing skilled human resources," he added.

Referring to the various achievements of Bangladesh in macro- economy, health and nutrition, reducing child mortality rate, enhancing literacy rate and immunization programme, he said, it is heartening to see that Bangladesh is slowly emerging as a middle- income nation shaking off its earlier stigma of least developed country.

The President, however, said despite attaining these successes, the country has to go a long way for achieving the desired goals of our hard-earned independence.

Professor Iajuddin said the intrinsic value of education is to illuminate oneself and to enlighten the society with the ever- ending light of wisdom and prudence.

"We want to build a knowledge-based society, where knowledge would be the main driving force for attaining the overall development," he added.

He hoped the erudite section of the society as well as the educational institutions, particularly the universities would come forward to foster the heritage and to nurture the innate intellect of the people in order to create knowledge-based society.