Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Thursday that it’s unfortunate that Bangladesh has not been able to extract resources from the deep sea, although it has attained vast maritime territories. “Actually, we are not getting any entrepreneurs for this purpose. This is the reality,” she said.
The PM said this while addressing the inaugural session of the Livestock Services Week and Fair to promote poultry and the dairy farmers and development of the sector. The Department of Livestock Services of the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry organised the 2-day fair at the old Trade Fair (Banijjo Mela) Ground at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar beside the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).
Hasina said that Bangladesh has attained huge maritime boundaries and to utilise the marine resources, it has also announced a plan for blue economy. “But it is unfortunate that we have not been able to extract resources from the deep sea,” she said.
She said that the prime aim of her government is to ensure food security first, then nutrition. “…and we have taken that step. We have given priority to research as it is not possible to produce high yield varieties without it,” she said. She also mentioned that the government is working to mechanise agriculture and for that a special attention has been given on this issue, including providing subsidies.
“Besides, we have taken huge programmes to increase the production of protein in the country,” she said. She put emphasis on more research work, as no country can advance without it. PM Hasina also emphasised improving the storage capacity of all kinds of products, including food grains, and fish and meat items, to ensure food security.
She asked the people concerned to provide safe food to the fisheries and livestock to make food safe for humans. She encouraged the private sector to step forward to improve poultry, fisheries and livestock items in the country.
“The government will provide all kinds of support,” she said. She asked to follow international norms in packaging along with cleanliness in agricultural production and its processing. Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdur Rahman and Fisheries, BPIC joint convenor Moshiur Rahman, BDFA president Mohammad Imran Hossain, and Livestock Secretary Md Selim Uddin also spoke. A documentary on the development of the country’s livestock sector was also screened at the programme.