As agriculture is the mainstay of national economy, the government is keen to get over the agriculture-related problems to ensure a sustainable food production mechanism in the face of coronavirus pandemic, Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzak said on Saturday, reports BSS.
He made the remark from the conference room of the ministry here at a meeting on ‘Zoom’, an online platform, as he exchanged views with stakeholders on marketing of seasonal fruits including mango, litchi and agricultural products amid the coronavirus outbreak, a press release said.
Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Agriculture Ministry chairman Begum Matia Chowdhury, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, State Minister for Foreign Affairs. Md
Shahriar Alam, State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Jatiya Sangsad Whip Iqbalur Rahim, JS Standing Committee on Science and Technology Ministry Chairman AFM Ruhal Haque, Former Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman, Chapai Nawabganj-1 lawmaker Shamil Uddin Ahmed Shimul, Agriculture and media personality Shykh Seraj and representative of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in Bangladesh Robert Douglas Simpson also addressed the meeting, it added.
The meeting suggested ensuring smooth movement of traders, warehouse keepers and paddy harvesting workers in Haors of other districts maintaining proper health rules.
It also recommended giving health examination certificates if necessary and arranging safe accommodation for them. To ensure free movement of trucks and other vehicles in different parts of the country for transportation of seasonal fruits and agricultural products,
no harassment of law enforcement agencies should come during it, the meeting said.
The meeting recommended several suggestions, including use of BRTC truck, extending local bank transaction deadline, increasing the scope of transport of seasonal fruits and agricultural products in parcel trains or frozen wagons, reduction of toll at Bangabandhu Bridge for returnee trucks. The meeting also suggested including seasonal fruits such as mango and litchi as relief items and initiatives for online and small-scale shopping in vans.
In order to prevent the use of chemicals in seasonal fruits, the district administrations, the Department of Agricultural Extension and the Department of Agricultural Marketing will intensify monitoring activities and take steps to implement those recommendations, the meeting said.
