Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday put emphasis on building educated manpower to keep up the success of Bangladesh’s graduation to a developing country as well as establish a hunger- and poverty-free Bangladesh.

‘I think that building educated manpower is very much necessary to continue the achievement of Bangladesh’s elevation to a developing country as well as establish a hunger- and poverty-free Bangladesh,’ she said, reports the BSS.

Sheikh Hasina added: ‘Our aim is to establish such manpower and we are working to achieve this goal.’

The Prime Minister was addressing a function as the chief guest to distribute ‘The Prime Minister Gold Medal 2017’ among the meritorious students of different universities at her office in the capital this afternoon.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid was present at the function as the special guest.

Chaired by UGC Chairman Professor Dr Abdul Mannan, the function was addressed, among others, by Secretary of Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Education Ministry Sohrab Hossain and UGC Member Professor Dil Afroza Begum.

Ishrat Jahan Priya of the Finance Department of Jagannath University and Sajan Dhar of Business Administration Department of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) of Sylhet, who got the gold medals, also spoke at the function.

PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman was present on the occasion.

As many as 163 students, who secured the highest marks or CGPA in their respective faculties at different universities of the country in 2017, were selected by the UGC for the Prime Minister Gold Medal.