Dhaka: Describing the youth as the driving force to take the country forward, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the government has taken numerous programmes to build them as worthy citizens.

‘We think, the youth is the source of power to develop a country...their merit and creativity can greatly help build the country,’ she said.

The Prime Minister said this while speaking at a function organised marking the National Youth Day at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, reports the UNB.

This year’s theme of the day is ‘Youth Awaken to Build Bangladesh, Bangabandhu’s Bangladesh’.

She said the government has taken numerous programmes and projects to create a scope for the youth to flourish their merit and talents.

Terming the laborious youths as precious assets for the country, the Prime Minister said, ‘Our aim is to make them good human resources through proper training.’

She urged the youth to stand on their own feet shunning the mentality for getting jobs from others.’You have to take such entrepreneurship where you’ll be able to provide jobs to many others.’

The Prime Minister briefly listed the various programmes taken by her government to develop the youth as worthy citizens of the country to achieve the desired target.

Talking about the Delta Plan 2100, Hasina said the country needs a large number of skilled youths in the coming days to materialise that.

She urged the youths to avail of the various opportunities that the government is offering and build themselves as the agents of the developed and prosperous Bangladesh which was the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

State Minister forYouth and SportsDr Biren Sikder, Deputy Minister forYouth and SportsArif Khan Joy, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Youth and Spirts Zahid Ahsan Russel andYouth and Sports secretary Muhammad Abdullah also spoke on the occasion.

SM Shahjalal Siraj and Humaira Latif Panna expressed their feelings on behalf of the award recipients.

The Prime Minister also distributed Youth Awards among 27 youths in different categories.

She later witnessed the colourful function performed by the youths.