Bangladesh must face 4IR with digital education: Minister

Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar has said that it is not possible to meet the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution if the new generation is not equipped with digital technology.

"Digital education should be introduced at the elementary level of education," the minister said during a webinar on 'Job Opportunities and Challenges in the IT Sector' organized by Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology on Friday night, an official release said.

"Although global job opportunities have shrunk due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the demand for skilled IT professionals is still growing at home and abroad," he added.

From the very beginning of their education life, students should be educated with Information and communication technology knowledge to create a skilled workforce, Jabbar said.

"In collaboration with the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, we are implementing an initiative to provide digital education including programming in 650 primary schools," he said, the release added.

"Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in the last 12 years digital infrastructure has been built in Bangladesh and it will be expanded in future," he added.

Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology Board of Trustees Chairman Liaquat Ali Sikder presided over the function.

Chandpur University of Science and Technology Vice Chancellor Dr Nasim Akhter, Dhaka University Professor Dr Hafiz Mohammad Hasan Babu, Jagannath University Professor Dr Nasir Uddin and Ashraful Asad, Executive Engineer of Samsung R&D also spoke, among others, at the webinar.