The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Increased subsidy in the agricultural sector will solve food crisis and ensure food security, according to political leaders at a roundtable held in the capital yesterday.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) arranged the roundtable on "food crisis and food security" at its main office.

Presided over by JSD Chairman Hasanul Haque Inu, the discussion was attended by Awami League (AL) leader Tofael Ahmed, Organising Secretary of central committee of AL Abdul Mannan, and secretary of Sammobadi Dal Dilip Barua, among others.

To ensure future food security JSD proposed to Government for the to introduction of rationing system, supply of essential ingredients including fertiliser, diesel and electricity to farmers before Aman season and reduction of interest on bank loan and LC margin to facilitate import of food.

AL leader Tofael said, "the country would not have faced food crisis had the government imported food soon after the flood". Since the godown in the country could store only 26 lakh tonnes of potato against our total production of 75 lakh tonnes, the Government could buy all the excess quantity of potato from farmers to encourage them to cultivate it on a wide scale.

Secretary of Sammobadi Dal, Dilip Barua said, "production in the agriculture sector is closely linked with land administration system and change in this system will greatly help increase food production, he noted.