The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed yesterday asked the commercial banks to finance in human resources development programmes so that the country can export skilled manpower to the developed countries. To get access to the manpower market in the developed world and to speed up economic growth, human resources development is a must.

The banks will have to come forward to give financial support in this regard, the Governor said at a stipend distribution ceremony of Exim Bank Foundation at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.

There is a huge potential to send skilled workers to the industrialised countries including Europe, where population growth was now almost zero, Dr Salehuddin observed.

He said, "In coming days Europe will require skilled manpower. So, we'll have to emphasise on education."

The Foundation distributed stipends among 500 poor but meritorious students from different institutions across the country, including Dhaka University, Dhaka Medical College, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and Jahangirnagar University.

Each of the students received a cheque for Tk 15,000 for a period of one year, while they will continue to receive the yearly stipend until completion of their studies.

Attending the function, Principal of London-based Icon College of Technology and Management Prof Nurun Nabi announced that his college would offer four meritorious students from Bangladesh a scholarship of 8,000 pound sterling each for two years.

The scholarships to be executed through the Exim Bank Foundation will be offered for studying information technology, telecommunication, tourism and business management.

Encouraged by the announcement, Exim Bank chairman Mohammed Nazrul Islam Majumder declared that the Foundation would bear all expenditures of 10 meritorius students per year for their higher studies abroad.

Moreover, he urged the Bangladesh Bank Governor and other high government officials, who attended the function, to help the Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB) get an approval for setting up a non-profit university in the country to facilitate poor students pursuing higher studies.

Majumder also requested the Governor's help in getting tax exemption on corporate spending against social responsibility.

Comptroller and Auditor General Ataul Hakim, National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid, Commerce Secretary Feroz Ahmed and some stipend recipients also spoke on the occasion.