Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday honoured Bangladeshi hafiz who won prizes at an international Holy Quran recitation competition in Saudi Arabia last August, saying the government would make efforts to recognise achievements by the country’s talented citizens at the state level.

He made the remarks while hosting a reception for the prize-winning Hafez of the 46th King Abdulaziz International Holy Quran Competition held in Saudi Arabia.

The reception was held at the Cabinet Division conference room at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Thursday (17 September).

Congratulating the winners, the prime minister said, “The awards you have won are not only your achievement. I believe they are an achievement for all Muslims in Bangladesh.”

Referring to the government’s initiative to encourage and honour the Hafez, Tarique Rahman said, “Almost all of you have mentioned that after a long time, Hafez have been encouraged and honoured. It is a policy of the current government that when the children of this country, who are the future of the nation, achieve something through their merit and talent, the government will try to recognise such achievements at the state level.”

The prime minister stressed the need to encourage talented people and properly recognise their abilities.

“If we can encourage talented people and ensure proper recognition of their abilities, future generations and the country will certainly benefit. The country will benefit, and the people will benefit,” he said.