The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

To meet the increasing demand of the population in 2020, Bangladesh will have to produce 1.18 crore tonnes of additional foodgrain, a high official of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Cooperation (BADC) said.

He was addressing a view exchange meeting to mark the 47th founding anniversary of BADC on October 22 at a local hotel yesterday.

The BADC Secretary ABM Sirajul Haq said that Bangladesh has been producing three crore tonnes of foodgrain against the demand of 3.30 crore tonnes every year.

"We would have to produce 4.18 crore tonnes of foodgrain to meet the increasing demand of people in 2020," he said.

Sirajul Haq said "We can achieve our food production target through the use of the agricultural inputs properly."

The country's food production had faced setback due to reduction of subsidy in the agriculture sector following the prescription of the donor agencies, he said.

Criticising the previous government's role, he said that the distribution of fertiliser and other inputs have faced hindrance as the authorities permitted distribution of fertiliser through private agencies.

Md Nuruzzaman, general manager (seeds) of BADC, Md Shahjahan, chief engineer of

BADC, Eng Kazi Muzammel Hoque, Additional Chief Eng of BADC, Rakhi Das Purkayastha of Public relations of BADC, Md Eftekharul Islam of BADC, MA Motaleb, President of CBA addressed the meeting.