Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that the assurance of food security comes with the prosperity of agriculture. Only by winning the struggle against hunger and poverty does one have the courage to embark on the highway of development. The fair of mega projects for the development of a self-respecting nation.
She said, "The combined efforts of farmers and agriculturists in the present government's agro-adaptation policy and incentives are contributing to our food self-sufficiency." In a country with a high population density, the ever-increasing agricultural production from declining land is a surprise to the world. The farmers and agriculturists of Bengal have kept the value of that historic declaration of Bangabandhu.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said this in a message issued on Friday (February 12) on the occasion of 'Krishibid Day 2021' on Saturday (February 13). Welcoming the initiative of publishing a special supplement on the occasion of Krishibid Institution Bangladesh Krishibid Day, she said, "On Krishibid Day, I extend my best wishes to all the agriculturists, farmers and all those associated with agriculture in the country."
The Prime Minister said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on February 13, 1973 announced to give first class status to agriculturists with the aim of achieving maximum success in the agricultural sector, which was a historic milestone for agriculture, farmers and agronomists of the country. As a result, more meritorious students are becoming interested in agricultural education. Continuing that policy of Bangabandhu, the present Awami League government is following the agro-friendly policy, she said.
She said the Awami League government has given the opportunity to farmers to open bank accounts at Tk. 10. At present there are about one crore bank accounts. About 2 crore 10 lakh farmer-equipment cards have been issued to the farmers. Arrangements have been made to provide unsecured agricultural loans to the sharecroppers. TK. 1,002.59 crore has been given as incentive since 2009.
Mentioning that 18 farmers had to give their lives for fertilizer during BNP-Jamaat rule, Sheikh Hasina said, "We have reduced the price of fertilizer several times." Irrigation electricity bill is being given 20 percent rebate. From 2009 to 2020, a total of Tk. 75,815 crore has been provided for development assistance in the fields of fertilizer, electricity and sugarcane.
She said a total of 1 crore 40 lakh 308 hundred nutrition gardens were set up in each union to create nutrition and source of income for the farmers. Farmers' markets have been set up in 41 districts, including the capital, to ensure safe supply of vegetables and fair prices to farmers. About 70,000 agricultural equipment were supplied in 12 years, including state-of-the-art combine harvesters, reapers, cedars, power tillers and other agricultural implements.
The Prime Minister said Bangladesh is currently ranked 3rd in the world in rice production, 3rd in vegetable production, 7th in mango production, 7th in potato production and 8th in guava production. Today, Bangladesh has set an example in the world in rice, jute, jackfruit, mango, guava and potato and vegetable and fish production. In 2009, the production of food grains was 3 crore 36 lakh 33 thousand metric tons. At present, the production of food grains has increased to 4 crore 53 lakh 44 thousand metric tons.
Mentioning that the golden Bangladesh of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's dream of hunger and poverty free will be built by tackling the impact of climate change, she said, "Our golden Bangladesh will be the address of nutrition and safe food. I assure you that in the journey of commercial transformation of the existing agriculture, the research and expansion of agriculture and the policy-support and incentives of the government will be conducive to the profession. ”
The Prime Minister hoped that all the programs adopted on Krishibid Day would be filled with success.