Nations rise on education and innovation, not flashy flyovers: Rizvi
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said today (5 October) that education is the backbone of a nation, not "showy development" such as flyovers and overpasses.
Speaking as the chief guest at a programme held at the BNP chairperson's office in Gulshan, where an IUT student team was honoured for their innovation, on behalf of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, Rizvi added that the innovative capacity of Bangladesh's young students is extraordinary.
"The achievement of the Islamic University of Technology (IUT) students, who built a racing car to participate in an international competition, is a moment of great pride for the entire nation," Rizvi said, adding that Bangladeshi youths can achieve the impossible if given the right opportunities.
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Calling the students' work "remarkable," Rizvi said, "It feels wonderful to know that they are going to compete in a technologically advanced country like China. It makes us proud to realise that we too can succeed if given the chance."
Expressing concern over the country's education system, Rizvi said it is extremely difficult to pursue advanced technological research in a country where education quality is poor and infrastructure is weak compared to neighbouring nations.
He claimed that appropriate educational programmes have long been "destroyed," noting that around 40% of schools—both public and private—lack technology-based education, particularly in rural areas.
"If the education system were restructured to promote science and technology-based learning and teachers were properly trained, Bangladesh would have produced many scientists and innovators like James Madison or Faraday," Rizvi said.
"Education is the backbone of a nation," he added. "Flyovers and overpasses may look impressive, but such development does not build a nation's foundation."
