No scarcity of food in country: PM

FT ONLINE

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the government has taken measures to ensure food security for the country’s people considering the possible impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’ve taken different measures to ensure food security for the people of the country,” she told the parliament while participating in discussion on the condolence motion over the death of sitting MP and former land minister Shamsur Rahman Sherif.

“We’ve no scarcity of food and won’t have as well. But we should continue our agricultural production,” she said adding that the government will provide farmers loans at 4.0 per cent interest to continue production.

She said the government has taken plans and measures to keep the country’s economy moving and vibrant in the next three years so that the people of Bangladesh will never suffer in case of the worldwide famine triggered by coronavirus pandemic.

“If we can harvest the paddy properly (this season), we’ll not have any problem of food,” Sheikh Hasina said, adding that now there is opportunity for day labourers to earn money from harvesting paddy.

The Prime Minister said the government will use the money of some development projects for the welfare of the people.

“We’ve many development projects which don’t need to be completed now. We can save the money from these and use for the welfare of the people,” she said.

AL senior parliamentarians Shajahan Khan, Matia Chowdhury and Mohammad Nasim, Opposition chief whip Mashiur Rahman Ranga also joined the discussion.