Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged all not to waste food saying food was being wasted in many countries while many nations were suffering from food shortage, reports BSS.
"Don't waste food," she said in a virtual address from her official Ganabhaban residence coinciding with the World Food Day stressing the need for finding ways to recycle surplus food to evade wastage.
Sheikh Hasina said many nations were exposed to food shortage while some were wasting it.
The premier simultaneously called for continued research to boost food production in the country.
She also put importance on the research that whether other needs can be met by the excess food.
Hoping that Bangladesh will never face any scarcity of food in future, she said research on food production cannot be halted in any way as her government has been prioritizing it since assuming power.
Sheikh Hasina said, "Research has to be continued as the production capacity of newly invented seed may gradually decrease. That's why research has to be kept running. Everyone has to put concentration on it."
She said the country's scientists have achieved success in the research of inventing different varieties of drought, salinity, water-logging, severe winter or heat-tolerant paddies and this trend has to be continued.
She added, "I think our agricultural scientists are the best scientists in the world and I expressed my gratitude to them."
The prime minister said her government will build a hunger-and-poverty-free Bangladesh as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman where all the fundamental rights of people such as safe food, nutrition, education, residence etc will be ensured.
She went on saying, "In fact, when Awami League was in power, North Bengal became Manga (famine) free and it will remain Manga free . . . . But, we have to make sure that none can bring famine in the country through conspiracy."
She said that they will keep their work running to ensure food production and meet nutritional demand of people.
Sheikh Hasina urged all concerned to work in this connection.
She also reiterated her call to all to put attention on cultivation so one inch of land is not remained fallow.
She said many countries in the world have scarcity of food during the Covid-19 pandemic but Bangladesh never wants to see it.
With Agriculture Minister Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque in the chair, Senior Secretary of the Ministry Md. Mesbahul Islam delivered the welcome speech.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister S M Rezaul Karim and Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder also spoke as special guests.
A documentary on agriculture and food production was screened at the event, organized by the Agriculture Ministry in the city's InterContinental Hotel.
The World Food Day 2021 is being observed in the country as elsewhere in the world with the theme "Our actions are our future Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life".
The prime minister introduced Bangabandhu Dhan-100 (Bangabandhu Paddy 100) through unveiling a portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman created with paddies.
She also unveiled the cover of a book "100 Years of Agricultural Development in Bangladesh".