The fisheries and livestock sector was affected due to the coronavirus pandemic. A total of 485,476 farmers across the country have received Tk 568 crore 86 lakh 41 thousand as the financial aid, gift from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The incentives were given in order to meet the nutritional needs of people and alleviate the poverty of the rural marginalized people.
The government will continue providing all necessary assistance to the farmers and entrepreneurs in this sector, said Agriculture Minister Mohammad Abdur Razzaque on Wednesday.
The Agriculture Minister came up with the assertion while speaking as the chief guest at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka at the financial incentive program for the farmers of fisheries and livestock sector affected by Coronavirus on Wednesday. The event was organized by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.
He said, “The present government, under the prudent leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is taking timely steps and implementing them by giving utmost importance to agriculture. As a result, Bangladesh has become self-sufficient in granular food by overcoming various challenges. The current goal of the government is to ensure nutritious and safe foods for the people of the country. Therefore, the government is providing all possible assistance to increase the production of fish, milk, eggs, meat, fruits and other nutritious food.”
By increasing the production further, it is possible to meet the nutritional needs of all the people of the country, alleviate the poverty of the marginalized and create employment and increase income. The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has been making an important contribution in this regard, he added.
He further said, “Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is agriculture and farmer friendly as her father was. She has absolute compassion and sincerity towards the farmers of the country. A unique example of this is her financial grants to farmers affected by the Corona as gift.”
The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has given a cash incentive of Tk 568.86 crore as a gift from the Prime Minister to 4,85,476 farmers affected by the Corona.
Among them, the number of affected farmers in the livestock sector is 407,402 and the number of affected fish farmers is 78,074. The money has been sent through Bkash, Nagad and bank accounts provided by the farmers.
Planning Minister MA Mannan who was present as a special guest said, “The main strength of our country is the hard work of our people. Their ability to stand up against all odds has been repeatedly tested. For this reason, Corona could not do affect us very badly. Despite the pandemic, we have achieved about five and a half percent growth.”
He also said that any work that belongs to fisheries and livestock sector, is on the top priority list of the Sheikh Hasina’s government.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim presided over the programme.
He said, “Sheikh Hasina's government has created a golden chapter in the history of Bangladesh. Under her leadership, Bangladesh is moving forward with an extraordinary pace. Under her guidance, we have sent cash incentives to about five lakh corona-affected farmers in the fisheries and livestock sector through their designated mobile numbers. We are planning to provide incentives to about another two lakh affected farmers.”
Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Fisheries and Livestock Dhirendra Debnath Shambhu and Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Raunak Mahmud were also present at the programme.
