She called upon all concerned, including agricultural scientists, workers and growers, to work in unison to revolutionise the agricultural sector to ensure robust socioeconomic development.

She attached special priority to the agricultural sector in the development process of Bangladesh, an agrarian country having 83 lakh hectares of arable land and 85 percent of its people being dependent on agriculture.

The prime minister was inaugurating the first-ever 'grand conference' of the agricultural workers and a three-day agriculture technology fair at Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (Bari) in the afternoon.

Government, private, multinational and research organisations, universities and fertiliser factories have together put up 56 stalls at the fair.

Khaleda said the role of farm workers is very crucial to alleviating poverty and attaining food autarky, rural development and economic progress.

She emphasised the need for increasing production side by side with maintaining quality of products to withstand the competition in the context of globalisation and market economy.

She also underlined the importance of making prudent agricultural plans and implementing them properly in the light of fast-changing global economy. Steps would be taken to produce 25 lakh metric tonnes of additional food grain by 2015 to feed the increasing population, Khaleda promised.

The prime minister said the government was considering forming a committee with the representatives of all relevant ministries, including agriculture, and fisheries and livestock, to draw up guidelines for development of agriculture, evaluation of progress and solution of agriculture-related problems.

Besides diversifying agriculture and making self-sufficiency in food sustainable, she said increase in other harvests also needs to be ensured.

"Special programmes have to be taken to increase the output of oilseeds, pulses, spices, vegetables and fruits," she told the farm sector stakeholders.

Khaleda mentioned the allocation of Tk 200 crore more than last year for the sector and the increase in agricultural subsidy up to Tk 300 crore. Besides, Tk 50 crore has been sanctioned to help set up farm industries.

"More loans will be provided for agriculture and agro-based industries at low interest rates," she said and urged for proper utilisation of the preferential credits.

She also assured the farmers and agriculturists of significant raise in the budgetary allocation as well as subsidy for agriculture in the next budget. She mentioned the writing off of agricultural loans up to Tk 5,000 and exemption of land taxes for up to 25 bighas after the BNP government took office in 1992.

The PM said the rice production reached a new high of 2.52 crore metric tonnes last year and stressed taking up special programmes to enable the farmers to learn the preparation of organic fertiliser and its application for protecting the soil fertility.

Organisers said about 13,000 agriculture workers, block supervisors, agricultural scientists and researchers are attending the grand conference.

The premier went around the stalls at the fair.

Agriculture Minister MK Anwar, State Minister for Agriculture Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, AKM Fazlul Huq Milon MP, Agriculture Secretary ASM Abdul Halim, Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council M Nurul Alam, Director General of the Department of Agriculture Extension Tariq Hasan, Director General of Bari Shahidul Islam, Representative of the block supervisors Abdul Karim and Peasant Representative Mohammad Azizur Rahman Mollah also spoke.