Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday called on everyone to put in their best efforts to increase food production as there is a growing sense that the world may face a severe food crisis and famine next year.
“During my recent visits to the UK and the USA, I spoke with many world leaders and heads of organizations, and everybody was very anxious about food security. They think that 2023 will be a very dangerous year, when there might be famine and a food crisis,” she said.
The prime minister was speaking at the weekly meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Committee (Ecnec) in Dhaka, reports UNB.
The prime minister joined the meeting virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.
“We must increase food production and preserve our stocks. We must give special attention to preserving and processing food. Our land is very fertile, and we have to increase our food production,” Sheikh Hasina said.
She reiterated her call to maintain austerity in every sphere of life, avoiding any unnecessary expenditure.
“Everyone has to be cautious and maintain austerity in using electricity, fuel, water, gas, and everything else. I request that every family save whatever they can. This is applicable for our government as well,” the prime minister said.
She said that the government will not go for any unnecessary expenditure.
“We will just use whatever we need, not more than that. We do not have any scope for [excess]. I saw anxiety among world leaders and heads of organizations. So we must maintain enough cautionary measures,” Sheikh Hasina said.
She added that the country must progress by overcoming all odds, and the government will ensure this is done as long as the people are with it.
“They (people) are the biggest power for us. We do not have any tension as long as people are with us. We have to encourage the people and utilise them as we did while facing the coronavirus pandemic,” she said.
She said that the country needs to be freed from the impact of the recession stemming from the Ukraine war.
Sheikh Hasina also requested the Planning Commission not to spend its valuable time discussing only inflation.
Mentioning that western and European countries do not discuss inflation too much, she said: “We also do not need any extensive discussion on this, but efforts should be made to keep the prices of essentials within people’s reach. We will do whatever is needed.”
About any projects to be undertaken, she said everyone must think of what brings the maximum benefit for people.
“There is no need to jump in to undertake any unnecessary project when funds are available. We have to take up projects after very careful scrutiny, so that we can get some returns from the projects and they are beneficial for the country,” she said.
The premier further said the government has always been cautious about expenditure and will remain so.
The prime minister also stressed the need for completing ongoing projects as quickly as possible, even if some extra money is needed.
“If we complete the projects, we will be able to get benefits from those projects and the nation’s economy will be positively impacted. We have to sort out ongoing projects and implement them quickly,” she said.
She asked all ministries to identify projects that are not urgently needed.
Sheikh Hasina also said that it is not possible to develop any country without a continuity of the democratic process.
“For 21 years, power was not in the hands of the people. Power was directly or indirectly inside the cantonment. The country was run by military ordinances, neglecting the constitution of the country,” she said.
She said that farce was resorted to in the name of democracy and vote rigging was the norm.
“We have witnessed all that. As a result, Bangladesh could not advance,” she said.
She said that after taking charge in 2009 following the election of December 2008, the government raised Bangladesh to the status of a developing country.
“There is a reason behind this success. It is in the history of Bangladesh; democracy continued without any hindrance. We were able to attain this success due to the unhindered continuation of democracy,” she said.