Agriculture Minister and Awami League presidium member Dr. Md. Abdur Razzak. Photo: collected
Bangladesh is a country prone to natural disasters, the
challenges here are even greater. But Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government
is tackling this challenge very successfully. In addition to adequate
allocation of research for tackling hostile weather in the future,
modernization and mechanization of agriculture is also being worked on. As a result,
it is possible to deal with hostile weather.
The minister was speaking as the chief guest at a dialogue titled "Agricultural Production in Hostile Climate: Unstable Global Agricultural Trade" at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) Auditorium in the capital on Sunday (April 24, 2022). Bangladesh Agricultural Journalists Forum (BAJF) organized the dialogue.
With the help of combine harvester, it is possible to harvest paddy faster in Haor. Informing about this, the minister said that various agricultural implements including combine harvesters are being provided to the farmers with 50-70 percent subsidy to combat the hostile environment. At present 577 combine harvesters are being used for harvesting paddy in Sunamganj district alone. As a result, despite the hostile environment, it has been possible to harvest 6 percent boro paddy in Sunamganj till now.
The minister said the present government has eradicated manga forever by taking various programs. In 14 years, there has been no food crisis or manga anywhere in the country, including manga-affected areas, coastal areas and char areas. But when the BNP was in power, it took the hostile weather of Bangladesh as its destiny. Every year there will be food crisis, there will be famine, there will be famine - this is what they accepted. During their rule till 2001-06, manga was eaten in the country every year, people went without food and died.
Noting that the present government is allocating adequate funds for research in agriculture, the minister said, "Earlier we were dependent on foreign countries for agricultural research." The research could not have been done without the help of foreign or international donors. But now Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is allocating enough for research in agriculture. As a result, there is no shortage of funds for research.
Former Vice Chancellor of Bangladesh Agricultural University and Emeritus Professor Dr. MA Sattar Mandal presided over the panel discussion. Also present as speakers were Prof. Dr. Mostafizur Rahman, Fellow of the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD); FH Ansari, Managing Director and CEO of The City Bank Ltd. Masroor Arefin, Additional Managing Director (Acting Managing Director) of Green Delta Insurance Company Ltd. Syed Moinuddin Ahmed among others.
|Source: Online/SZK
Comment Now