Food production being increased to reduce import dependency: PM

To avoid depending on import alone, food production is being increased, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Sheikh Hasina said she is now giving utmost importance to agricultural production so that Bangladesh would not be hit hard by the global food crisis. 

"Food products for which we depended on import previously are now being produced in the country. For example we used to depend on India for onion and cattle. But now the situation has changed, we have already started producing onion in the country," said the prime minister during the opening ceremony of the Deputy Commissioners conference at Shapla Hall of the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday (24 January).

She also said, "Increasing production will not be enough we have to focus on storage as well."

There might come a time when the production would surplus the local demand and Bangladesh will be able to export food products as well, she hoped.

"No one will be landless, people who are in need will be given land and shelter. However, only giving a living space will not be enough we have to ensure sustainable income," said the prime minister.

She also asked the deputy commissioners (DCs) to take only necessary projects. "We only want to take up the necessary ones instead of going for wholesale manner keeping in mind the global economic recession due to Covid-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war," she said.

The premier issued a 25-point directive for the deputy commissioners to build a developed, prosperous and Smart Bangladesh by 2041.

State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain spoke at the function, reports BSS.

Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain gave the address of welcome as PM's Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah spoke at the function.

Divisional Commissioner of Rajshahi GSM Zafarullah addressed the function on behalf of the divisional commissioners while Narsingdi DC Abu Nayeem Mohammad Maruf Khan and Bandarban DC Yasmin Parvin Tibriji also spoke on behalf of the deputy commissioners.

A total of 245 proposals have been received from various ministries and deputy commissioners this year, officials said.

The cabinet secretary said that the DCs placed 242 proposals in the last year's conference, of which 177 were implemented while implementation of the remaining 66 proposals is underway.

According to the conference schedule, the DCs will pay a call on Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique on 25 January on the second day of the conference.

They will also pay a call on President M Abdul Hamid on the third day of the conference.