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Agriculturist Day today


Bangladeshpost
Published : 12 Feb 2021 10:20 PM | Updated : 13 Feb 2021 01:49 AM

BSS, Dhaka

The Agriculturist Day is being observed in the country today (Saturday) through various progrmmes.

On this occasion, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday issued separate messages wishing all programmes of the day a success.

President Abdul Hamid, in his message, said, “During the post-independence period for the socio-economic development of the country, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had set up various institutions to conduct agricultural education, research, extension and distribution of agricultural inputs. He gave utmost importance to the agricultural sector in the reconstruction of the war-torn country.”

The present government is implementing various activities for the overall development of agriculture in the way shown by the Father of the Nation, he said, adding: “As a result, we are now self-sufficient in granular food. Besides, mass production of vegetables and native fruits is playing an important role in meeting the daily nutritional needs at the national level.”

In order to meet the food and nutrition needs of 160 million people of the country, agronomists have to continue their relentless efforts to innovate new technologies and seeds of more productive varieties, produce high protein-rich fish, meat, eggs and milk, said the President.

Besides, in the case of agricultural production and marketing, it is necessary to be aware of the use of chemicals and pesticides which are harmful to public health. “I hope that the agriculturists with their knowledge, talent and labor will contribute to build a hunger- and poverty-free golden Bengal by implementing Vision 2021 and 2041,” he added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made a milestone in the history by upgrading the agriculturists to the class-I status. As a result, the meritorious students are being inspired to get agriculture education, she added.

Continuing that policy of Bangabandhu, the present Awami League government is following the agri-friendly policy. The Awami League government has given the opportunity to farmers to open bank accounts for Tk 10 only, she said.

During the BNP-Jamaat regime, 17 farmers had to give up their lives for fertilizer but this government has reduced the price of fertilizer several times, she said.

In order to create a source of income by producing nutritious foods, a total of one crore forty lakh three hundred eighty seven farmers of 32 unions were given nutrition gardens, she added.

‘Farmers’ markets have been set up in 41 districts, including the capital, to ensure safe supply of vegetables and fair prices to farmers,” she said, adding, “At present, Bangladesh is ranked 3rd in the world in rice production, 3rd in vegetable production, 7th in mango production, 7th in potato production and 8th in guava production.”

Today, Bangladesh has set an example in the world in rice, jute, jackfruit, mango, guava and potato and vegetable and fish production, said the premier.

The agriculturists of Bengal have kept the value of that historic declaration of Bangabandhu, the greatest Bengali of all time and the father of the nation, that the country would be the address of nutrition and safe food, she added.