Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) is set to establish a state-of-the-art nano lab with an investment of Tk100 crore, announced State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
“The establishment of this advanced nano lab is part of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s vision for a knowledge-based, equitable, and smart Bangladesh by 2041. To achieve this, we need a talented and smart generation to lead the way,” said Palak at the inauguration ceremony of the Institute of Robotics and Automation (IRAB) at BUET.
The tender process for the nano lab has already commenced following approval from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said the state minister.
Palak emphasised the importance of providing BUET students with enhanced learning opportunities in robotics and automation, saying, “Over the next two to three decades, technology will fundamentally change everything. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman viewed education as an investment rather than an expense. We aim to extend robotics education beyond universities to colleges, schools, and even primary schools.”
The state minister also highlighted directives from the Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Advisor, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, to develop skilled personnel in four key frontier technologies: robotics, microchip designing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
“The leaders of the future’s smart world will be those proficient in AI, robotics, microchip technology, and cybersecurity. Nothing in the future will remain outside the realm of technology,” he said.
Palak pledged support from the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology for any initiatives in these fields at BUET, noting that the establishment of the Robotics Institute marks just the beginning.
“Innovators, researchers, and startups in robotics will emerge from BUET, and we will cultivate skilled manpower in this field,” he added.
The event, held at BUET, saw the state minister and guests welcomed by RoboSeba – Health Objective Robot, developed by the university.
BUET Vice-Chancellor Professor Satya Prasad Majumder chaired the event, with additional remarks from Information and Communication Technology Division Secretary Md Samsul Arefin and BUET Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdul Jabbar Khan.
