"We have to attain self-reliance at the shortest possible time through optimum utilisation of all our available resources and foreign assistance," she said, pointing out the indignity of endless dependency.

"We have to work unitedly and relentlessly to achieve the desired level development and meet the challenges of the 21st century," the prime minister said, inaugurating the National Conference 2003 of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB) at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the afternoon yesterday.

The inaugural session of the two-day meet, also marking the completion of three decades of the institute, was also addressed by Commerce Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, ICMAB President Md Abdur Rashid, ICMAB Vice-President AKM Delwar Hussain and Chairman of the Seminar and Conference Committee Md Abdul Aziz.

Former president and council member of the ICMAB Rafiq Ahmad presented the keynote paper on "The Role of Cost and Management Accountants in Development of Bangladesh."

The prime minister asked the accountants to make their own value judgement with regard to contribution to industrialisation, and expansion of trade, commerce and the service sector in the country.