The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Assurance of good quality seeds, fertiliser and proper irrigation could help in achieving food security, said speakers at a function in the city yesterday. Bangladesh needs to produce 3.2 crore tons of rice for the year 2008-09.

As every year the country is losing nearly 80 thousand hectare of arable land, engineers could play an important role in water resources development management, agricultural mechanism and agro processing and food technology for ensuring the country's food target.

The above observations came at a function marking the 60th founding anniversary of Engineers Institution, Bangladesh (IEB) at its headquarter.

Engineer Mohammad Tamim, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on charge of the ministries of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources was present as chief guest.

M Harun-ur-Rashid, Director General, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) presented a keynote paper. Engineer Mohammad Mohsin Ali, President in Charge of IEB presided over and Engineer Khan Manjoor Morshed also spoke on the occasion.

Mentioning the engineers as the most vital segment of the society Dr Tamim said they could play an important role in agriculture management for achieving the country's food security target.

In this regard he lauded the engineers' untiring role in supporting the farmers for providing power and other agricultural inputs for achieving bumper production of 'Boro'.

Highlighting the importance for food security Dr Tamim said the farmers should be given more subsidies on power and diesel with a view to produce more food grains.

Rashid recommended strengthening the capability of disaster management at the national, regional and local levels, taking initiatives for timely agricultural rehabilitation and international agencies favourable agriculture policies.

IEB was established in 1948 and has a membership of nearly 25 thousand.