At least 1 lakh 33 thousand metric tons of fish are produced more than the requirement in the country, said the Minister of Fisheries and Livestock Md. Abdur Rahman.

On Monday (April 6) in the afternoon session of the Jatiya Sangsad(JS), the Member of Parliament of Dhaka-14 Constituency Md. Mainul Hossain gave this information in response to a question. Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury presided over the session.

The Minister of Fisheries and Livestock said that in the fiscal year 2022-23, against the demand of 47 lakh 82 thousand metric tons, the total fish production in the country was 49 lakh 15 thousand metric tons. As a result, 1 lakh 33 thousand metric tons of fish are produced more than the requirement in the country.

Under the specific direction and dynamic leadership of the Prime Minister, 41 lakh 34 thousand metric tons of fish were produced in Bangladesh in 2016-17 against the target of 40 lakh 50 thousand metric tons. After 46 years of independence, Bangladesh has been able to achieve self-sufficiency in fish production, the Minister said.

Besides, the Minister said with the information of BBS, currently the people of the country are consuming 67.80 grams of fish per day on an average (25.00 kg against the annual demand of 23.72 kg per person).

The hatchery release program is being implemented under the revenue and development scheme to increase fish production in open water bodies. In the financial year 2022-2023, 215.43 metric tons under revenue sector and 100.25 metric tons under development projects have been released.

In the fiscal year 2022-23, 917 bill nurseries have been set up across the country under the revenue sector and 174 bill nurseries under the development scheme. 500 sanctuaries established in various rivers and inland open water bodies of the country are being managed by the beneficiaries in order to prevent the extinction of native fish species and protect their abundance.

During the fiscal year 2022-23, 389 fish sanctuaries have been repaired and managed under the revenue sector and 72 fish sanctuaries have been repaired and managed under development projects. In the past 15 years, 5 thousand 758 hectares of degraded water bodies have been rehabilitated and developed through various development projects under the Department of Fisheries. By increasing fish production in excavated reservoirs, income and employment opportunities have been created for the concerned beneficiaries. 

Chattogram city mayor Bir Muktijoddha Rezaul Karim Chowdhury has inaugurated the construction work of the 'iconic' city building much desired by the people of Chattogram.

City Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury officially inaugurated this construction work with CCC's own funding at Andarkilla of the city on Monday (May 06) afternoon.

During the inauguration, the Mayor said that this iconic city building will be constructed by connecting the sites of two other neighboring buildings on the site of the old city building. The entire city building will have 21 floors with three basements. The first phase of this building was inaugurated today Our aim is to complete the 5-6 floors by next January-February and move from Tigerpass to Andarkilla as part of the first phase of work costing Tk. 28.80 crore. The rest will be done step by step

"Without a permanent city building, foreign visitors would actually be put in an embarrassing situation, and services to citizens would also be disrupted. For this reason, I have taken the initiative to build city buildings with my own funds. Citizens can take services in this building easily. Besides, a museum will be built to highlight the history and heritage of Chattogram on 1st floor of this building.

According to the sources of the engineering department of CCC, city building will be constructed on 38 thousand 490 square feet or 53.45 katha area. A consulting firm named Pranayan designed the building at 'Iconic'. There will be a city clock on top of the building. There will be landscaped gardens on three sides of the building. A fountain will be built. There will be a multipurpose hall, conference hall and banquet hall. However, the entire city building will be constructed step by step. Initially, three floors including the basement will be constructed.

The opening ceremony was attended by - Panel Mayor Gias Uddin, Councilor Zahar Lal Hazari, Hasan Murad Biplab, Shaibal Das Sumon, Md. Elias, Md. Abdus Salam Masum, Ataullah Chowdhury, Rumki Sengupta, Mayor's Private Secretary Abul Hashem, Chief Engineer Shaheen-ul Islam Chowdhury, Superintendent Engineer Akbar Ali, Farhadul Alam, Jasim Uddin, Regional Executive Officer and Estate Officer. Rezaul Karim, Executive Engineer Farzana Mukta, Rezaul Bari Bhuiyan, Mirza Fazlul Quader, Ashiqul Islam, Rifatul Karim, Tasmia Tahsin, Tauhidul Islam, Salma Khatun, Assistant Engineer Asir Hamim.

It is to be noted that on March 11, 2010, the then Mayor of Chattalabir ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury laid the foundation stone of the city building. After that, two mayors and an administrator served in Chattogram City Corporation (CHSIC), but the initiative was stalled due to various complications including financial crisis, lack of approval from the ministry.

Compared to the last 3 months of last year, the number of unemployed in the country has increased by 1 lakh 20 thousand in the first 3 months of this year.

On Monday (May 6), Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) quarterly labor force survey report revealed these data.

According to BBS data, the number of unemployed in the country in the first quarter (3 months) of this year is 25 lakh 90 thousand. And in the last quarter of last year this number was 24 lakh 70 thousand.

The current unemployment rate is 3.51 percent, which is slightly higher than the average unemployment rate in 2023. The average unemployment rate in 2023 was 3.36 percent.

Meanwhile, according to BBS calculations, the number of unemployed men was 17 lakh 40 thousand at the end of last March. In the first quarter of 2023 (March-January) this number was 17 lakh 10 thousand. On the other hand, 30 thousand women unemployment has decreased compared to the same period last year. Now the number of unemployed women is 8 lakh 50 thousand.

According to BBS, there are 7 crore 37 lakh 50 thousand men and women in the labor force. Among them 7 crore 11 lakh 60 thousand people are engaged in work. The rest are unemployed. 

Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) chief executive and Supreme Court lawyer Syeda Rizwana Hasan commented that Bangladesh has become an experiment ground for multinational companies.

Stating that the multinational companies are working to take agriculture away from us and from the farmers, she said, the multinational companies sought approval of genetically modified brinjal in 3 countries. The countries are - India, Philippines and Bangladesh. India did not approve but Bangladesh did. Now multinational companies are seeking permission from Golden Rice. Nature is being oppressed by political economic considerations.

She said these things at a discussion meeting on the urgent issue of GM crops, golden rice and Bt brinjal: Resolving the necessary issues in Bangladesh introduction at Tafazzal Hossain Manik Mia Hall of the National Press Club on Monday (May 6).

Farida Akhtar, executive director of the non-governmental organization UBINIG (Policy Research on Development Options), said that the health and environmental risks of golden rice as a GM crop, its effectiveness and whether there is any need for this rice at all have not yet been answered. We thank the Ministry of Environment for taking time to consider its safety aspects and not yet giving approval. But companies and entrepreneurs are chasing it. They want to influence the government directly.

She also said that golden rice is controversial all over the world. It was said to have been approved in the Philippines but has now been revoked and Filipino farmers have launched a massive movement against it. So there is no point in giving approval to Bangladesh by taking the example of Philippines. Most of the farmers in Bangladesh cultivate BRI 29. There are no patents. The farmer keeps the seeds himself or buys them from the market. They can cultivate this paddy independently. So what will happen to the fate of millions of farmers in Bangladesh if the ownership of this rice goes to a foreign company? The Ministry of Agriculture must answer this question. The Ministry of Agriculture's job is to look after the interests of Bangladesh's agriculture and farmers, not the interests of companies.

Speakers raised various questions to the government in the interest of the people before introducing controversial GM crops in Bangladesh.

>> Is there any need at all to introduce golden rice paddy and Bt. brinjal in agricultural diversification countries?

>> Whether Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) have any data on the potential environmental, health and other risks of GM crops, scientists worldwide have agreed.

>> Why is the production of vitamin A rich vegetables, fruits, greens, etc. not being supported in the country instead of introducing golden rice on the pretext of vitamin A deficiency?

If the patent of BRRI 29 is given to the Syngenta company, will not the right of billions of farmers of the country to cultivate this variety of rice be undermined? Why is this rice given to multinational companies?

But brinjal is being introduced on the pretext of reducing pesticide use, while pesticides and herbicides are widely used in all types of hybrid crops, from rice? Why are they not being stopped?

Federation President Badrul Alam, Chief Executive of Citizen Initiatives Zakir Hossain and Executive Director of Anti-GM Morcha Ibnul Sayed Rana also spoke at the discussion meeting.