Photo: BSS

CUMILLA, May 25, 2026(BSS) - Fisheries, Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammed Amin Ur Rashid today said the government is implementing farmer-friendly policies by giving the highest priority to the agricultural sector.

“The BNP government is fully committed to ensuring the sustainable progress of this sector by prioritizing the overall development of the farmers,” he said while addressing a function at Sadar Upazila premises as the chief guest. 

The event was jointly organized by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and Adarsh Sadar Upazila to distribute agricultural machinery among the local farmer groups.

The equipment including rice reapers, corn threshers, Low Lift Pumps (LLPs), canvas pipes and hand sprayers were distributed under the "Sustainable Agricultural Technology Extension Project in Cumilla Region" for the 2025–26 fiscal year and the "Bangladesh Sustainable Recovery, Emergency Preparedness and Response (B-STRONG)" project.

The minister said the government is continuously implementing various initiatives to ensure financial security for the farmers, reduce production costs, expanding agricultural mechanization, increase irrigation facilities and guarantee fair prices for agricultural produce.

To make the national economy sustainable and resilient, the economic foundation of the farmers must be strengthened first, he said, adding, "If the farmers prosper, the country's economy grows stronger."

He highlighted that within two months of assuming office, the present government waived agricultural loans up to Taka 10,000 expanded the farmer registration and card programme, and introduced "Family Card" to enhance the social and financial empowerment of women.

The minister recalled that the previous BNP government had played a vital role in expanding irrigation and canal digging for agricultural growth. Following that legacy, the government has launched a realistic canal re-digging programme to ensure swift drainage of monsoon waters and adequate irrigation facilities during the dry season, which will ultimately boost production and mitigate water logging, he added. 

"Agricultural mechanization is the demand of the time. To address labor shortages and lower production costs, the government is providing financial assistance for using modern machinery in harvesting, threshing and other farming activities," he said. 

Machinery is being supplied through union-based farmer cooperatives, with plans for a gradual nationwide expansion, he said. 

The minister directed the field-level agricultural officials to play a more proactive role, urging them to maintain regular contact and provide essential counseling services at the union and ward levels to resolve farmers' issues on the spot.

Among others, Director of the Sustainable Agricultural Technology Extension Project in Cumilla Region Mohammad Rashed Hasnat, Director of the B-STRONG Project Sabina Yasmin, District Training Officer Mohammad Rezaul Karim Bhuiyan, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Fatema Tuz Zohra, Upazila Agriculture Officer Mohammad Nizam Uddin, President of Adarsh Sadar Upazila BNP Shafiul Alam Raihan and its General Secretary Md Nizam Uddin Kaiser were present.

 Earlier in the morning, the minister released fish fingerlings into a water body at Cumilla Victoria Government College.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said, "We do not want a single inch of land to remain uncultivated. Every inch of land and water body will be brought under production to further boost the country’s food supply."

 He reiterated that the ultimate goal of the government is to ensure food security and meet the nutritional demands of the public by boosting the agricultural and fisheries production.

 Responding to queries from journalists, the minister mentioned that the government has adopted a long-term plan to increase the production of indigenous fish species. To achieve this, large-scale fish fry release programmes are being actively implemented across various open water bodies.

 A total of 132-kilogram (kgs) of fish fingerlings-consisting of approximately 1,602 fries-were released into the college pond. The batch included 42-kg of Catla, 45-kg of Rui and 45-kg of Mrigal.

Director General of the Department of Fisheries Md. Zia Haidar Chowdhury, Principal of Cumilla Victoria Government College Md. Abul Bashar Bhuiyan, and Adarsh Sadar UNO Fatema Tuz Zohra, among other senior officials, were present during the morning programme.