No sign of famine in the country: Agriculture minister
Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque has said there is no sign of famine in the country as agricultural production has increased manifold during the regime of the Awami League government.
"I have met many people in the country and abroad. I can say with certainty that there is no sign of famine in Bangladesh," he said while addressing the opening ceremony of the three-day paper presentation organised by the Agricultural Strategy Department of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in the capital on Thursday.
The annual production of potatoes was only 50 lakh tonne during the BNP regime, which now has increased to more than one crore tonne, he said.
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"Around the 2018 election, the Awami League promised to ensure safe, nutritious and healthy food to the people. It kept its promise as the production of mangoes, maize, and vegetables has increased manifold," the minister said, adding that Awami League always wanted to ensure agricultural trade as one of the sources of income.
The government is always striving to modernise the country's agriculture sector and it has succeeded in doing so as day labourers are no longer available for harvesting paddy, he said.
Speaking as a special guest at the event, former president of IEB and Science and Technology Affairs Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League Engineer Md Abdus Sabur said, "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has started developing the agriculture sector since coming to power in 1996. We have achieved self-sufficiency in food because of the agricultural engineers."
Over the years, the country has created a strong position in the world in producing fish, mangoes, and vegetables. Engineers will come forward with modern machinery to deal with any future food shortages, said Abdus Sabur.
IEB President Engineer Md Nurul Huda, former secretary of the Ministry of Shipping Abdus Samad, and IEB Vice-President (HRD) Engineer Md Nuruzzaman, among others, were also present at the programme as special guests.
