Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the government has taken measures to ensure food security for the country’s people considering the possible impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’ve taken different measures to ensure food security for the people of the country,” she told Parliament on Saturday.
She was participating in discussion on the condolence motion over the death of sitting MP and former land minister Shamsur Rahman Sherif, reports UNB.
“We’ve no scarcity of food and won’t have as well. But we should continue our agricultural production,” she said adding that the government will provide farmers loans at 4% interest to continue production.
She said the government has taken plans and measures to keep the country’s economy moving and vibrant in the next three years so that the people of Bangladesh will never suffer in case of the worldwide famine triggered by coronavirus pandemic.
“If we can harvest the paddy properly (this season), we’ll not have any problem of food,” Sheikh Hasina said, adding that now there is opportunity for day labourers to earn money from harvesting paddy.
The prime minister said the government will use the money of some development projects for the welfare of the people.
“We’ve many development projects which don’t need to be completed now. We can save the money from these and use for the welfare of the people,” she said.
She reiterates call to follow health codes
The leader of the House reiterated her call to all to follow the health codes and instructions properly to contain the novel coronavirus, reports BSS.
“I would like to urge the people of all walks of life, including elected public representatives and party leaders and workers, to obey the directives on health consciousness that are being given time and again in view of the Covid-19 outbreak in the country,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina continued: “Please everybody follow the (health) guidelines. If you do it you can keep protected yourselves and similarly (can keep protected) others and life of anybody will not be put at risk.”
“We’re repeatedly requesting the people to stay at home so that the virus cannot spread further and we’re gathering information every moment from every place.”
The prime minister said the members of the law enforcement agencies are also working hard round the clock in this regard.
“But we don’t know that why the people don’t want to maintain … we see that (violating the directives) they’re roaming and gossiping here and there,” she said.
The premier said the people of the country have become more courageous. “It’s seen that breaking the lockdown, they along with their wives visit the father-in-law’s and travel to other places later,” she said.
“For your little mistake, you may be infected by the virus and you can also transmit the disease to others. So remain careful so that it doesn’t happen,” she added.