No shortage of fish-pulses-rice, now people need meat: PM

Highlighting the success in agricultural research and production, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said  there is no shortage of fish, pulses and rice in the country but  people's demand now is meat. 

The Prime Minister said this while addressing the opening ceremony of the Livestock Services Week and Exhibition-2024 as the chief guest at the old Trade Fair Ground in city’s Sher-e-Banglanagar on Thursday.

The Prime Minister laid emphasis on ensuring food and nutrition security, calling upon the private sector to step forward for the development of the country’s poultry, fisheries and livestock sectors.

She said that if everyone does business and trade on their own initiative instead of chasing behind the jobs after graduation, then “we can progress a lot”.

Sheikh Hasina urged all to encourage the country’s youth to become entrepreneurs, so that, in future, they don’t need to depend on anyone.

The Prime Minister also mentioned that buffaloes and sheep are being produced in the country’s char lands, even in Bhasanchar, where the Rohingyas have been given shelter and buffaloes, sheep, poultry and fishes are being farmed.

“If we use the land we have, we can meet our own needs,” she said.

She urged all to come forward in the country’s dairy and other sectors as well.

The premier said Khaleda Zia announced to arrange rice and pulse for the countrymen during her tenure. But, she (Khaleda) failed to provide rice and pulse for the people, she said.

Then, during 2007, Caretaker Government’s chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed and then army chief Moinuddin Ahmed asked people to have potatoes, she said.

“Someone wanted to feed us pulse and someone wanted to feed us potatoes,” Sheikh Hasina said.

She asked concerned people to provide nontoxic food for the fisheries and livestock animals for ensuring safe food.