A robotics lab has been inaugurated at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) to facilitate research and development of technologies related to robot.
State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak and the BUET vice-chancellor (VC) Prof Dr Saiful Islam inaugurated the laboratory at BUET on Monday.
Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority (BHTPA) established the laboratory at a cost of Tk 16.5 million as part of its move to set up 32 such laboratories in the country's tertiary level educational institutions.
Researchers not only from the BUET but also from other institutions will be allowed to exploit the facilities in their efforts to develop robotics in the country, said a statement.
Mr. Ahmed said the country now needs to concentrate on knowledge-based economy by lessening the reliance on the labor-intensive one to cope with the changes derived from the fourth industrial revolution.
"It is a high time we concentrated on modern technology to join the wave of the industry 4.0, of which robotics is one of the key components," he said.
The state minister also said a good number of Bangladeshi people are now working in globally giant technology firms like Google, Facebook and Intel reflecting the capabilities.
Commending the BUET's role for leading the nation in engineering and technology, Mr. Ahmed vowed to continue providing the government's support to the university authority.
The BUET VC said the laboratory is not restricted to any specific department, but any relevant person could use it.
The BHTPA officials, BUET faculty members and students from different departments attended the opening ceremony.
The BHTPA has been establishing 32 laboratories in the public and private universities under two projects. Under a programme of Kaliakoir Hi-tech Park development project, 15 labs have already been established, the statement added.
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