Salman Rahman asks youths to be prepared to face 4IR challenges

Prime minister’s adviser for private industry and investment Salman F Rahman has asked youths to be prepared for the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution or 4IR.

“The challenges poised to be created due to the 4th Industrial Revolution will be extremely tough,” he told the ‘JCI (Junior Chamber International) Bangladesh Leadership Conclave 2019 -Together Towards Tomorrow’ in Dhaka on Saturday.

"The young people should prepare themselves to face those challenges," he added, according to a government statement.

He also urged a largely young audience to study the history of Bangladesh saying the spirit of the Liberation War was the "true secret" to the phenomenal development the country has witnessed over the last 10 years.

"Bangladesh did not develop automatically," he said.

“As the ones hailing from the privileged portion of society, you have a responsibility to think and study about it because with privilege comes responsibility,” he told the young professionals, entrepreneurs, business leaders and students.  

The First Industrial Revolution used water and steam power to mechanise production. The Second used electric power to create the mass production.

The Third used electronics and information technology to automate production.

Now a Fourth Industrial Revolution is building on the Third, the digital revolution that has been occurring since the middle of the last century, according to the World Economic Forum.

The first wave of the technology-driven 4IR will affect jobs in the country, according to experts.

Salman thanked the organiser of the event, Junior Chamber International, Bangladesh, for holding the discussion on the 4th IR.