Govt, media should work hand in hand
Speakers at a seminar in Rajshahi University yesterday called upon the media and government officials concerned to remain alert against adulterated and fake agricultural products.
They said the government and media should work together so that they can alert farmers in this regard.
The seminar titled, “Role of mass media in agricultural development”, was organised by the university's mass communication and journalism department with assistance from Syngenta Bangladesh Limited.
RU Vice-Chancellor Prof Abdus Sobhan attended the seminar as the chief guest with department Chairman Pradip Kumar Panday in the chair. Agriculturists, agricultural journalists, teachers, and students also participated in the seminar.
Presenting the keynote paper, Prof Khademul Islam said, "The country's media was hardly able to play its role in building awareness among farmers about adulterated agricultural inputs in the last 20 years."
He said most of the farmers were being cheated for their lack of awareness about the adulterated seeds, fertilisers and pesticides. “As a result, farmers are investing more, but getting a low output.”
He also highlighted farmers' limited access to mass media, lack of agriculture-based programmes in media and media's inability to properly portray their problems.
Agriculturists Ahsan Habib Khan, Sirajul Islam and Abu Tawab; RU Pro-VC Prof Ananda Kumar Saha; Managing Director of Syngenta Sazzadul Hassan and The Daily Star Assignment Editor Reaz Ahmad took part in a discussion on the keynote paper.
Journalists at the seminar said the agriculture officials should inform people about dangers in the sector so that proper measures can be taken ahead of time.
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