HPM Sheikh Hasina for producing more food to tackle any challenge

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday (October 11) called upon the countrymen to produce more food to tackle any challenge as the world community is apprehending a deep crisis next year.

"Food production has to be increased. It is now inevitable and the utmost importance issue for us," she said.

The premier was speaking at the beginning of the meeting of the executive committee of the national economic council (ECNEC) held at the NEC Conference Room in city's Sher-E-Bangla Nagar. She joined the meeting virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.

Referring to her recent visit to the United Kingdom and the United States, she said she talked with the world leaders and representatives formally and informally, especially at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

The premier said she talked with the head of states, head of governments and head of different organisations as they all apprehended that there might be a grave famine in 2023 while the economic recession will be deepened and food crisis will appear.

Sheikh Hasina said many countries are discussing the issue in the world. "So, we have to increase food production and make arrangement of preserving food as well as process the food taking it into consideration," she said.

She added the land of Bangladesh is very much fertile and something or other is produced where a seed is sown and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman used to tell that.

"Following Bangabandhu's footsteps, we have to put concentration on producing food massively and we have to make arrangement to preserve the food," she said.

The prime minister also urged the people to exercise austerity in every sector. "We should not increase any unnecessary expense, rather we should be more economical and aware of using power, energy, water, gas etc."

She requested each family of the country to do savings whatever they can.

"It is also applicable for the government," she said.

The prime minister said the government will not go for any unnecessary usage of anything.

"We will just use whatever we need, not more than that. We do not have any scope for that. Because, I saw anxiousness among the world leaders and organisations' heads. So we have to maintain enough cautionary steps," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the country will has to be taken forward facing all odds, and the government will do that as long as people are with them.

"They (people) are the biggest power for us. We do not have any tension as long as people are with us. We have to encourage the people and utilise them as we did while facing the coronavirus pandemic," she said.

Sheikh Hasina also urged the planning commission not to spend their valuable time to discuss every moment regarding the inflation.

"Because, many countries in the world do not discuss this issue. The USA and European countries, which shows pretty much interest regarding inflation, also do not discuss the issue too much," she said.

She also said that these countries do not discuss the impact of inflation very much.

"We also do not need to do extensive discussion regarding the matter, but efforts should be carried out to put prices of essentials under commoners reach. We will do whatever needed for that," she added.

In this connection, she said that before taking any project, all must think about the maximum profit of the people of the country and what achievement will come from that project.

Sheikh Hasina said, "There is no need to take a project unnecessarily when the fund is available. We have to take project after scrutinising that very carefully so we could get some return from that project. We will take that type of project."

She said that there is no need of taking a project which will not be beneficial for the country.

"I did not take any project like that. We were always cautious regarding that matter. We have to remain cautious in the future," she said.

She said that the government always has responsibility to the people. "We can feel it and we work for that," she also said.

The prime minister put emphasis on completing the projects as quick as possible.

She added: "If we complete the projects, we will be able to get benefits from those projects and economy of the country will get positive impact of that. We have to sort out those beneficial projects and implement those quickly."

She also asked all ministries to sort out the projects which can be done little bit slowly.

Sheikh Hasina said that it is not possible to develop any country without continuation of democratic process.

She said: "For 21 years, the power was not in the hands of the people. Power was directly or indirectly inside the cantonment. The country was run by military ordinances neglecting the Constitution.”

She noted that there was farce in the name of democracy and festival of vote rigging in the name of election. "We witnessed those. As a result, Bangladesh could not advance," she added.

She said that coming to power in 2008, the government has been able to make recognized Bangladesh as the developing country.

"We had been able to attain this success due to the unhindered continuation of the democracy in Bangladesh," she added.

She noted that no country can make development without continuous democratic process.

- BSS