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Published on November 18, 2025
For more than sixteen years, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has led Bangladesh with a vision rooted not only in development but in human dignity. Among all her priorities, ensuring that no Bangladeshi goes hungry stands out as one of her most heartfelt commitments. To her, food security is not merely an economic indicator; it is a reflection of the nation’s well-being, stability, and future.
Sheikh Hasina often speaks of the people of Bangladesh as her extended family. This emotional connection shapes her leadership, driving her to protect the most vulnerable and strengthen the resilience of the nation. Her belief is simple yet profound: a country can only prosper when its people are nourished, healthy, and free from fear of scarcity. This philosophy has guided every major reform in agriculture, distribution, and food safety under her administration.
Over the years, Bangladesh has faced natural disasters, economic shocks, and even unprecedented global crises. Yet, during every challenge, Sheikh Hasina’s leadership ensured that food supplies remained stable and accessible. Her proactive decisions, long-term planning, and compassion-driven policies turned an agriculturally dependent nation into one of the world’s strongest examples of self-sufficiency and food resilience.
Today, Bangladesh not only feeds its own people more securely than ever before but also stands as a global model of how political will, modern technology, and genuine empathy can work together to build a food-secure future. Through her vision, Sheikh Hasina has shown that true leadership is measured not by words but by the ability to ensure that every family has food on the table and hope in their hearts.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s approach to food security has been strategic, science-driven, and centred on long-term national resilience. Her government transformed agriculture from traditional subsistence farming into a modern, technology-powered sector capable of feeding more than 170 million people, even during global disruptions.
A major foundation of this transformation has been the development of high-yielding, improved, and climate-resilient crop varieties. Under her leadership, Bangladeshi scientists released hundreds of new rice, wheat, and vegetable varieties that can survive floods, drought, salinity, and waterlogging, conditions intensified by climate change. This scientific innovation allowed farmers across vulnerable regions to maintain steady production despite unpredictable weather.
To complement this, Sheikh Hasina championed agricultural mechanization. The government offered large subsidies on tractors, harvesters, and modern irrigation systems, enabling farmers to produce more with less labour and time. As a result, farming became more efficient and productivity increased across all major crops.
The integration of digital technology further revolutionized the sector. Platforms like Krishi Batayon and the Krishak Bondhu Call Service (3331) began offering real-time advice, weather updates, farming solutions, and government notices directly to farmers’ phones. Additionally, more than two crore farmers received Smart Cards and agriculture cards, ensuring transparent distribution of subsidies, fertilizers, and low-interest loans without middlemen.
Beyond production, Sheikh Hasina strengthened the entire food ecosystem through expanded storage infrastructure and social safety nets. Modern silos increased national storage capacity and helped stabilize prices and supply during emergencies. At the same time, subsidized food programs, such as providing rice at Tk 30 per kg to one crore people and Tk 15 per kg to vulnerable groups, ensured that low-income families always had access to essential food items. The government also distributed free food grains to those unable to work, ensuring no household was left behind.
Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when global supply chains collapsed, her administration moved quickly to protect farmers and consumers. Special harvesting support teams were deployed, supply channels were kept uninterrupted, and farmers received logistical assistance, transportation, and emergency relief. This proactive response prevented a food crisis and maintained uninterrupted production during a time when many countries faced shortages.
Through these interconnected measures, innovation, technology, financial support, storage upgrades, and compassionate social protection, Sheikh Hasina built a food security system that is both strong and humane. Her leadership ensured that Bangladesh not only produced enough food but that every citizen, regardless of circumstance, could access it with dignity.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s food security achievements have earned significant praise on the international stage. The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) commended her leadership for turning Bangladesh into a standout example of successful agricultural transformation and hunger reduction. This recognition reflects the country’s impressive gains in productivity, nutrition, and climate adaptation under her guidance.
Sheikh Hasina has also positioned Bangladesh as an advocate for stronger regional cooperation. She consistently urges Asia-Pacific nations to work together in areas such as agricultural research, technology exchange, and climate resilience, emphasizing that global challenges require shared solutions.
Today, Bangladesh is frequently highlighted by global agencies as a model of food security preparedness, especially for nations vulnerable to climate and economic shocks. This international credibility underscores her effective, forward-looking leadership and reinforces Bangladesh’s rising influence in global food policy discussions.
Sheikh Hasina has proven time and again that effective leadership is measured by results. Her commitment to food security is reflected in practical actions that directly improve people’s lives, from ensuring uninterrupted support during crises to strengthening long-term systems that keep families fed and protected.
She leads with a people-first mindset, focusing on solutions that benefit ordinary households. Farmers gain better tools, vulnerable families receive reliable food assistance, and communities experience greater stability because her policies are built on consistency and care.
Her steady leadership, swift decision-making, and unwavering dedication show a leader who not only sets goals but ensures they are achieved. Sheikh Hasina stands as a leader who delivers, quietly, firmly, and with the well-being of every Bangladeshi at heart.
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