Raise food production amid global recession to avert danger: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today reiterated her call to increase food production to save the country from any possible trouble amid the global economic recession.

"We have to increase our production and preserve those so that our country does not plunge into any danger," she said while speaking at the programme marking the 25th founding anniversary of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University and inauguration of a Technology Exhibition.

The programme was held at the Begum Sufia Kamal Auditorium and the PM joined it virtually from her the Gono Bhaban.

Hasina said the world is witnessing an economic recession due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the war-related sanctions and counter-sanctions by the US-led Western bloc and Russia.

"As a result, the prices of food items have soared beyond the purchasing capacity of all. Besides, prices of everything including power, fuel and transportation have increased," she said.

Talking about the preservation capacity, she said the government has set up a number of modern silos to stock rice.

She said such storage facilities are urgently needed for food items being produced in the country.

She also said the government is focusing on the food processing industries in the 100 economic zones that are being set up in different parts of the country by the government.

The prime minister also put emphasis on research on food products to ensure food security.

"We must not be dependent on others. Why will we import from outside? We have to put more attention and do more research on edible oil production from various types of seeds. We have to take initiatives for that," she said.

The PM said that to save arable lands of the country the government is setting up 100 economic zones across the country.

She criticised those who during their regimes did not think about saving the arable lands.

Hasina said many arable lands were destroyed through indiscriminate urbanisation, establishment of mills and factories alongside construction of houses.

She said the government has put emphasis on research on jute and jute items to make it more diversified to earn foreign exchange.