DHAKA: The International Literacy Day is being observed in Bangladesh with a campaign for educating all the people to turn the burgeoning population into skilled manpower.

Government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are holding elaborate programmes spearheading the literacy campaign.

President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued  separate messages on the occasion. In this message, President Zillur Rahman said, "It’s necessary to help out our mass people from the curse of illiteracy and turn them into skilled manpower.”

He said the ruling government is pledge-bound to remove illiteracy completely from the country and the  role of non-formal education is boundless, alongside formal education, to achieve the goal.

He hoped that meaningful participation of all concerned would turn Bangladesh into an illiteracy-free country.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged all to play their respective role in ensuring quality education and building skilled manpower for overall development of  the country.

"For this reason we are resolute on the task of removing illiteracy by 2014. And its successful implementation would help us build Digital Bangladesh by 2021," said the PM.

BDST: 1020HRS,SEPTEMBER 8,2010