JICA support sought for eco-friendly energy efficient autos

Commerce Minister GM Quader on Friday sought the support of the Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA) for young Bangladeshi engineers to invent and manufacture echo-friendly energy efficient
motor vehicles.Appreciating the Japanese donor agency’s role in different development programmes, he said such
support could play a vital role in promoting young Bangladeshi inventors and engineers.
The Minister sought the support while speaking at the prize giving ceremony of `ECORUN Bangladesh
2013’ competition at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city.
The programme was jointly organised by JICA and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
(BUET).
Education Secretary Dr. Kamal Abdun Naser and JICA Bangladesh Chief Representative Dr. Takao Toda
also spoke on the occasion.
A total of 15 student teams from six private and public universities and institutions participated in the
competition. They presented their manufactured 15 vehicles, five in 4-wheel categories and ten 3-
wheelers.
Walton Hi-Tech Industries donated fifteen 100 cc motor engines to the competition while Japanese
motor vehicle engineer and JICA volunteer Okawara supervised the competition.
The programme was inspired by the international ECO Mileage Race or ECORUN contests organised in
Japan since 1982.
Addressing the function, JICA Bangladesh Chief Representative Dr. Takao Toda said JICA has been
supporting such competition since 2011 and will continue its support.
But young Bangladeshi engineers should take their own initiatives for the sake of their country’s
interest, he added.
The six participating universities and institutions are Bangladesh University of Engineering and
Technology (BUET); Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET); Islamic University of
Technology (IUT); Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST); Rajshahi University of Engineering
and Technology (RUET) and Barisal Technical School and College (BTSC).
Of them, a BUET team stood first while RUET team finished second and CUET team third in the
competition in manufacturing their energy efficient motor vehicles. UNB

Leave a Reply