The government has taken a massive initiative for the safety and preservation of food grains and other crops in the country’s disaster-prone areas. As part of the initiative, centring the Mujib Barsho, around 3,00,000 silos made of mud will be distributed by the government among the dwellers in the disaster-prone areas.
The initiative will be implemented by the Ministry of Food Affairs and the concern department of the ministry already has started it activities in this regard. It could be mentioned that the government earlier also had distributed silos among 5,00,000 families of 63 upazilas in 19 disaster-prone districts at a cost of Tk 80 only.
Sources said, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had inaugurated the silo distribution programmes at Kathalia and Nolchhiti upazilas in Jhalokathi district on May 6 in 2018 through video conference. Officials concerned at the Ministry of Food Affairs said the ministry has taken various initiatives centring the celebration of Mujib Barsho. Among the initiatives, they have started food preservation and bazar monitoring through digitalised ways.
As part of the initiatives food preservation and bazar monitoring through degitalised ways, the Directorate of Food will set up Information and Communication Technology (ICT) units at 1,640 installations. The Directorate of Food also said they already have completed construction of ‘Digital Truck Weight Bridges’ at 15 important installations.
Besides, works is on to build six food testing laboratories at six divisions—Barishal, Khulna, Sylhet, Rangpur and Rangpur—as part of a project of Modern Food Preservation. Sarwar Mahmud, Director General of the Food Directorate, said works for the distribution of silos was on and he hoped that the tasks will be completed within one and a half years.
At present 5 giant size silos, 13 central silos (CSD) and 631 local silos (LSD) exist at different parts of the country. Those solos have the capacity to preserve 20 lakh metric tons of food grains. On the occasion of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 17 this year, the government, ruling Bangladesh Awami League and different others parties and organisations are going to arrange various programmes. Besides, the Mujib Barsho will also be celebrated for one year from March 17 in 2020 to March 17 in 2021.