President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Wednesday called upon all, irrespective of party affiliation and opinion, to make joint efforts to continue Bangladesh’s ongoing development as he opened the ‘Smart Children Carnival 2023’ in Dhaka.

‘Nothing should be done that will cause the country and its people to fall back again,’ the president told the opening ceremony of the festival at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the capital.

Noting that the world is moving forward day by day, he said that everyone should move forward maintaining utmost tolerance and mutual trust and faith.

The Head of state emphasized on developing the children as ‘smart citizens’ making them efficient, creative, progressive, non-communal and patriotic to build a ‘Smart Bangladesh’ in days to come.

State minister for information and communication technology division Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for primary and mass education Md Zakir Hossain, ICT secretary Md Samsul Arefin, Bangladesh Computer Council executive director Ranjit Kumar, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy director general Liaquat Ali Lucky and children representatives – Sumaiya Akhter Rumi and Md Rezwan Mahbub Nehal addressed the inaugural ceremony of the ‘Smart Children Carnival 2023’.

The President said, ‘Now our goal is to build ‘Smart Bangladesh’ by 2041… where all types of works and managements would be the best, world-class and based on smart technology.’

He advised the young generation to try to the modern knowledge and put it into practice always. ‘You have to learn from now on… You have to know about Bangladesh’s Liberation War and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Bangabandhu,’ he added.

President Shahabuddin extended warm greetings and congratulations to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her 77th birthday to be celebrated tomorrow and expressed sincere love and affection to all the children in the country on this auspicious occasion.

Thanking the carnival’s organizers, the president said that the event would give all the children an opportunity to get acquainted with sports, new technology and make new friends along with proper learning.

‘Though you have fewer opportunities to do sports now, engage in sports and exercise as much as you can,’ he said, urging the local public representatives to arrange necessary playgrounds for the children, who usually keep themselves busy in using modern electronic devices.

He stressed the need for children and teenagers to enrich their knowledge by learning many other things apart from reading the books.

‘Always remember that the country is like your family,’ the President said, adding, ‘For this, you have to know the country yourself, you have to read a lot.’

Referring to various development projects, president Shahabuddin said that the government led by the prime minister was moving forward with the determination to build a developed, prosperous and smart Bangladesh by 2041 on the path of success in implementing Vision 2021.

Under the leadership of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, everyone will work unitedly to create a poverty-free, prosperous and ‘Smart Bangladesh’ of Bangabandhu’s dream, the President hoped.

He enjoyed an audio visual exhibition on ‘What will Smart Bangladesh look like in 2041’.