Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said the government would distribute fertilizers, seeds and other agriculture inputs free of cost for production of next crop in haor areas.“We would distribute fertilizers, seeds and other agri inputs -- whatever necessary -- free of cost for (production of) the next crop in haor areas,” she told a rally in Shalla upazila headquarters this morning.The rally was arranged on Shahid Ali Model High School premises on the occasion of distribution of relief materials among the flood-affected people of the upazila.Sheikh Hasina said the interest of the bank loans has been brought down to half to minimise the financial losses of flood-affected people of the haor areas, while the issue of realizing loan would be kept suspended.“State-owned banks have already decided to reduce the interest rate by half,” she said.The premier urged the NGOs not to give pressure on farmers to pay installments of their loans saying the government through NGO bureau would advice the NGOs not to give pressure on farmers during their difficulties.“If necessary subsidy on electricity for agriculture would continue,” she said.Sheikh Hasina said the government will appoint dealers at the union level in the haor areas to operate open market sale (OMS) for food grains to avoid sufferings of the people of the region.In this connection, the prime minister asked the food minister to take immediate steps.Assuring the people of the flood-affected areas of taking all necessary measures, she said no one will face the lack of food and shelter as the government will expand VGF activities to the haor areas apart from OMS programme.“We’ve made arrangement to reach VGF rice to union level at the government cost,” she said.Source: BSS