The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rangpur

Speakers at a views-exchange meeting here have said that proper attention could make at least 35,000 landless and low-income group families economically self-reliant in nine northern districts.

They said this at the day-long meeting on "Milk Production, Problems and Solutions in its Marketing" organised by CARE- Bangladesh under its Strengthening the Dairy Value Chain (SDVC) at a local hotel in Rangpur on Tuesday. The meeting was organised for the milk producers of Rangpur as a part of the ongoing SDVC programme in nine districts of Rangpur, Dinajpur, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Bogra, Sirajganj, Naogaon and Joypurhat in northern Bangladesh to increase milk production through involving the local landless and low-income group people.

Chaired by Project Manager of Strengthening Dairy Value Chain Project of CARE-Bangladesh Arunav Saha, the meeting was attended by District Livestock Officer of Rangpur Dr Rowshanuzzaman as the chief guest. Dr Azaharul Islam from District Artificial Insemination Centre of Rangpur, Upazila Livestock Officers Sohrab Ali Mandal of Sadar and Abu Bakar Siddique of Mithapukur, Youth Development Officer of Mithapukur Upazila Osman Goni, SDVC Officer Ashraf Hossain, were present. Milk producers Rehana Begum and Ruhul Amin and milk-collector Aminul Islam, also addressed the meeting. Dr Rowshanuzzaman took part in the subject-based discussions and answered various questions asked by the participants in the meeting that was participated by the milk-producing farmers from Sadar and Mithapukur upazilas in the district.

The experts said the prevailing prospects of the diary sector on the poverty-prone river basins in northern Bangladesh including Greater Rangpur could be explored in a planned manner to change the overall socio-economic status of the people in the area.