DHAKA, Sept 14, 2023 (BSS) - State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid today hoped today's youths will be the country's future leaders to build smart power and energy sector in the country coping with the challenges of fourth industrial revolution.

"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government is making its all-out strides to build a developed and Smart Bangladesh by 2041. Today's youths will lead the future Bangladesh," he said.

Nasrul was addressing as the panelist at Centre for Research and Information (CRI) and Young Bangla's signature programme Let's Talk on Energy and Finance at Teacher- Student Centre (TSC) on Dhaka University campus.

Youth participants asked the state minister different questions and expressed their opinions on the country's future power and energy sector.

Nasrul replied to all quarries of the youths during the long time event and assured of considering their views with utmost importance.

He said there will be massive investments in different sectors gas and power transmission, smart grid construction, installing advanced technologies in power and energy sector, renewable energy, offshore and onshore thermal-power, lithium battery factory establishment, cyber security, oil and gas exploration in the coming days.

Noting that charging station or charging policy has been formulated, the state minister hoped youth participation in investment and innovation in electric vehicle sector will increase in future too.

He said the government is making efforts to ensure uninterrupted power supply at reasonable price and the power sector needs around $75 billion in next 15 years.

Nasrul called upon the youths to raise energy-saving awareness among people and come up with innovative ideas to deal with it.

The state minister said his ministry always welcomes new inventions of technologies. If anyone has any such project, he or she can submit it to Bangladesh Energy and Power Research Council (BEPRC) of the ministry as it provides one-time funding in research and innovation project, he mentioned.

Innovation competition in energy sector will resume soon, he said.

Prof Celia Shahnaz of EEE department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and Ishrat Jahan, coordinator of Green Voice, a movement for a sustainable and healthier nation, joined the event as the panelists.

Sahos Mostafiz, a communication specialist at an international non-profit organization, moderated the programme.