Policy implementation not possible without law in place: Speakers

Speakers at a seminar in the capital yesterday stressed the need for enacting a law to implement the existing policy on right to food.

“Despite having a policy on right to food, it is impossible to implement that policy without a law in place,” said eminent economist Dr Quazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed while presiding over the seminar.

Right to Food Bangladesh, a social organisation, arranged the seminar titled “Development Goals of Bangladesh and the Relevance of the Law for Food Right” in association with some other NGOs at Cirdap auditorium in the city.

Speaking at the programme, Food Minister Qamrul Islam said the government is trying to create awareness to ensure safe food for people, after achieving self-sufficiency in food production.

The seminar was also addressed, among others, by Director General of Department of Women Affairs Kazi Rowshon Aktar, Senior Research Fellow of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Dr Naznin Ahmed, and Head of Programme of Echo Cogeneration of Bangladesh Abul Kalam Azad.

General Secretary of Right to Food Bangladesh Mohsin Ali conducted the seminar.

Kholiquzzaman, also chairman Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation and Right to Food Bangladesh, observed that poverty has increased to a substantial level across the country despite rise in GDP growth, and the gap between rich and poor has also been widened.

“If we want sustainable development, it has to be human development-centric,” he added.

Kazi Rowshon Aktar said development goals will not be achieved unless food security is ensured for the women of the society. The government has been working to ensure nutrition-enriched food for both mother and children, she added.

Dr Naznin Ahmed said people have a responsibility to create awareness to check misuse of food. “There should be a social movement against misuse of food,” she said.

Speakers at the seminar also said enactment of a law is essential to protect agricultural land to ensure food security.