Prime Minister Khaleda Zia yesterday urged the scientists to extend cooperation to government efforts for use of nuclear power in collaboration with China to meet a growing demand for electricity.

She made the call while inaugurating the golden jubilee celebration of Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR).

The prime minister said the science and ICT ministry is dealing with China for production of electricity utilising nuclear power, as it will not be possible to meet the domestic demand for electricity only by

using gas.

Responding to a demand from the BCSIR chairman, she announced that the government would take step to raise the retirement age of scientists to 60 from 57 years.

She urged the scientists and researchers to turn BCSIR into a centre of excellence for the welfare of the country and its people and assured all possible help in their innovative efforts as well as positive and potential initiatives.

She hoped the scientists will be more active in innovating new

technology and modifying conventional technologies to expedite socioeconomic advance and poverty alleviation.

The prime minister observed that the key objective of BCSIR is to attain industrialisation and national prosperity by scientific research utilising domestic resources and noted with happiness that this institution has so far innovated 668 scientific processes.

She recalled that famous scientist and academic of this subcontinent Dr Mohammad Qudrat-e-Khuda introduced the BCSIR in a limited capacity at Tejgaon Polytechnic Institute in 1955, and under his sincere effort, science laboratory was set up on the present premises in 1961.

The prime minister awarded Golden Jubilee Medal to five scientists for their outstanding contribution to science and technology. They are Dr Mohammad Qudrat-e-Khuda (posthumous), Dr NA Khan (posthumous), Dr Md Yusuf,

Dr Flora Zaidun Majid and Dr Abdul Khaleque.

Science and ICT Minister Abdul Moyeen Khan and BCSIR Chairman Dr Choudhury Mahmood Hasan also spoke at the function attended by scientists, diplomats, vicechancellors of different universities and researchers, officers and staff of BCSIR.

Later, the prime minister inaugurated a fair of BCSIR products and visited some stalls.