Safe food to be ensured in 3-4 years: Razzaque

Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque today hoped that ensuring safe food would be possible in the next 3-4 years as the government is working sincerely to ensure safe food for all.

"It will be possible to ensure safe food for all in the next 3-4 years. The current government is working tirelessly to ensure safe food for all. That is why Food Safety Act and Food Safety Authority are made," he said.

The minister was speaking at the debate programme on the government's "appropriate steps to ensure safe food" at Bangladesh Film Development Corporation(FDC) here as the chief guest organized by Debate for Democracy on the occasion of National Food Safety Day.

Besides, work is underway to increase the capacity of the Food Safety Authority and  many international standard labs have already been set up and many more will be set up, he added.

He said the government is taking effective measures and implementing various steps for agricultural mechanization, commercialization and processing to improve human income and the lives of large population of rural agricultural people.

Mentioning the issue of the reduction of fertilizer-subsidy for 4 times by the present government, he said in the current fiscal year 2021-22, Taka 28 thousands crore are needed for fertilizer subsidy.

So far, TK 19 thousands crore subsidies have been given and more than TK 9 thousands crore  will be required till next June, he added.

However, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that she will not increase the price of fertilizer at this moment to continue the development of the farmer's welfare and agriculture, he said.
 
Although the speed of other development activities is slow, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will continue to give fertilizer subsidy, he continued.