DHAKA, Oct 24, 2021 (BSS) - Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi today said that 
initiatives have been taken to boost production of onion and ensuring its 
preservation for a long time alongside inventing its newer varieties.

   "There is a lack of production of onion in our country compared to the 
demand. This deficit is being met through importing onion. So, we're trying 
to boost onion production after taking special initiative," he said.

   The Commerce Minister was addressing the closing session of a conference 
titled "50 years of Bangladesh: Transformation and attainments of 
agriculture" held at a city hotel organized jointly by the Bonik Barta and 
Bangladesh Agricultural Journalists Forum (BAJF).

   He said steps have already been taken to innovate such technology so that 
newer varieties of onion could be invented for round the year production, 
produced onion are not perished while those could be preserved for a long 
time.

   Tipu said Bangladesh has advanced a lot in agriculture thanks to the 
modernization of agriculture and the government's necessary policy support. 
He also stressed the need for taping the huge potentials of boosting 
agricultural productivity.

   He mentioned that under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh 
Hasina, the government has been continuing its relentless efforts to attain 
self sufficiency in all sectors.

   Speaking on the occasion as the special guest, State Minister for Planning 
Dr Shamsul Alam said that Bangladesh has moved ahead in commercialization of 
agriculture side by side the food production has increased while the 
fisheries and livestock production also witnessed an uptrend.

   He also assured that the policy and technological support of the 
government would continue in the future for innovating newer varieties and 
ensuring optimum utilization of technology.

   Bangladesh Agricultural University Professor Dr Md Jahangir Hossain 
presented the key-note paper. Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute 
Director General Dr Jahangir Alam, former Director General of the Department 
of Fisheries Dr Syed Arif Azad, Lal Teer Livestock Chairman Abdul Awak Mintu, 
Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd Managing Director and CEO Muhammad Munirul Mowla, 
Aftab Multipurpose Farms Ltd Managing Director Abu Lutfe Fazle Rahim Khan 
spoke, among others, on the occasion.