Protect farmland for sustainable agriculture: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today called upon all to protect farmland for sustainable agriculture.

She made the call in a message on the eve of conferring "Bangabandhu Jatiya Krishi Purashkar 1424".

The premier said the programme bears special importance as it is going to be held during the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's independence.

Bangabandhu had started rebuilding the war-ravaged country, putting highest importance to agriculture after independence, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the Father of the Nation began agriculture revolution through giving tax exemption facilities on land development up to 25 bigha and providing advanced agriculture components. As a result, agriculture production saw an astonishing success, she said.

She said in 1973, Bangabandhu Krishi Purashkar was introduced at the directives of the Father of the Nation.   

Later, Bangabandhu Jatiya Krishi Purashkar was given the legal ground by enacting 'Bangabandhu Jatiya Krishi Purashkar Trust Law, 2016'.

The premier said the Awami League government always pays special importance to the agriculture sector.

The government will continue providing all-out support to sustainable agriculture, she said. 

She hoped the government will be able to build a malnutrition-, hunger- and poverty-free as well as prosperous "Shonar Bangladesh" as dreamt by the Father of the Nation with the united efforts of all.