Make efforts so country never faces famine

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged the countrymen to make all-out efforts so Bangladesh never has to face any situation like famine and food insufficiency for prolonged Russia-Ukraine war and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

“We have soil and manpower. So, we must take initiative from now on so that Bangladesh never has to face famine and food insufficiency. We will have to grow our food,” she said.

The premier was virtually addressing a programme organised to hand over Bangabandhu Jatiya Krishi Puroshkar-1425 and 1426 (Bangla year), the highest state recognition in the agriculture sector, to 44 individuals and organisations in 10 categories, from the Gono Bhaban.

The agriculture ministry organised the function at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital yesterday morning.

The prime minister referred to her talks with the heads of the government and state of the different countries mostly developed ones in the United Nations General assembly in New York and in the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London.

She said the world leaders apprehended that a famine or food insufficiency might hit the world in 2023 for the Russia-Ukraine war.

“I called upon the global community to take measures to stop the war and arrange food, treatment and education for the mankind, particularly for the children,” she said.

“We have to be self-reliant by growing food for ourselves and we have to give some produced grains to the neighbours,” he added.

Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim and Agriculture Ministry’s Parliamentary Affairs Standing Committee Chairman and former Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury spoke at the function.

On behalf of the prime minister, the agriculture minister distributed the award among the recipients for their contribution to agriculture research and expansion, cooperatives, motivation, technology innovation, commercial farming, aforestation, rearing livestock and poultry and fish farming.

Of the winners, 15 individuals and organizations got the award for the Bangla year of 1425 while 21 individuals and organizations for the Bangla year of 1426.

Three gold medals, twenty-five bronze medals and sixteen silver medals were distributed among the selected persons and organisations.

Each of the gold medal winners received Tk 1 lakh along with 18-carat gold medal weighing 25 grams, while each silver medal winner got Tk 50,000 along with a medal of 25 grams pure silver and each bronze medal winner received Tk 25,000 along with a bronze medal.