She made the call while donating Tk 2.5 crore to Bangladesh Academy of Science (BAS) for launching an endowment fund to promote science and technology in the country.

"The endowment fund will be of Tk 5 crore. The rest of the amount will be allocated in the national budget for the 2004-05 financial year," the prime minister said after handing over a cheque for Tk 2.5 crore to BAS President Prof M Shamsher Ali at a function at the International Conference Centre (ICC).

Science and Information Communications Technology (ICT) Minister Abdul Moyeen Khan and acting secretary of the ministry Omar Faruk Khan also addressed the function.

Assuring all possible assistance from the government, the prime minister urged the scientists to take 'personal, united and institutional initiatives' for the development and progress of science and technology.

Referring to the need for the endowment fund, she said it is not possible for a national institution to adopt and implement a long-term plan without an institutional guarantee.

She said Bangladesh Academy of Science is being run with the public and private donations but such an institution cannot continue its work only with donations.

A guideline has already been framed for the operation of the fund, she said and hoped that the BAS would be able to run its activities utilising the fund.

Moyeen Khan hoped that the scientists would now engage themselves in research to use science and technology for economic development as the prime minister has created the required atmosphere.