13 to get ‘Agricultural Important Person’ status

The government has announced honouring 13 people with the 'Agricultural Important Person' or AIP status for their outstanding contribution to the agricultural sector.

The AIPs will be given under a policy formulated by the government last year to recognise individuals and organisations for their contribution in agriculture, fisheries, livestock and forest sectors.

"The AIPs will be given to honour the contributors to the agricultural sector like the CIPs (Commercially Important Persons) in other sectors," Balai Krishna Hazra, additional secretary of the agriculture ministry, told The Daily Star.

With one-year validity, an AIP will get pass to enter to the Bangladesh Secretariat, invitation to national ceremonies, priority to air and train tickets and priority to getting cabins in public hospitals for family members.

Four people will be awarded with the AIPs in the "Agricultural innovation varieties/technology" category, according to a gazette issued by the agriculture ministry today.

Under the "Agricultural production/commercial farm establishment and agro-processing industry", six contributors to the agriculture sector will get the AIPs.

A person will be awarded with the 'Agricultural Important Person' card under a category named "Government-approved or registered organisation in agricultural produce, fisheries, livestock and forest subsectors".

And the two gold medallists of Bangabandhu National Agriculture Award will also be honoured with the AIP cards, the gazette read.