Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday reiterated her call to the countrymen to ensure maximum utilization of land to produce highest amount of foodstuff to meet the growing demands.
"After two waves of Covid-19 pandemic, now the Russia-Ukrain war may cause another hurdle in the world. So, we have to make our own arrangement ready and that is why no inch of land shouldn't be left uncultivated rather we have to produce whatever we can," she said.
The premier made this call at a views-exchange meeting with the officials of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in Dhaka, her Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told journalists.
During the meeting that lasted for three and a half hours, she said every citizen of the country should produce something on whatever land they possess. It would not only meet their demand but also help the country to become self-reliant in food production.
"We all should remain alert so that the country does not face any hardship due to the current world crisis," she added.
In this connection, she asked all concerned to disseminate this message that "no inch of land would remain uncultivated".
Prime Minister's Economic Affairs Adviser Dr Mashiur Rahman, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Affairs Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman, Ambassador-at-large Mohammad Ziauddin, Principal Coordinator (SDG Affairs) Zuena Aziz and Prime Minister's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, among others, also spoke.
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Kaikaus conducted the meeting, while Prime Minister's Office's Senior Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah made a presentation on the PMO's works in the last three years.
Talking about the price spiral, the prime minister said that it has happened to the whole world including Bangladesh.
“What we can do now, we have to encourage the people not to left behind one inch of arable land,” she said, adding that “It means we have to be self-sufficient in food production for all time."
In this connection, she said that at the beginning of the Covid pandemic she apprehended that the world might face a food crisis.
“That is why from that time I encouraged people to utilize every inch of arable land,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said she apprehended that there might be another blow coming for the whole world combining coronavirus and the Russia-Ukraine war. “So, we have to take care of ourselves (in food production).”
However, she noted that the problem for Bangladesh is the items imported from the international market like LNG and fuel oil.
She asked the officials to think about the outcomes of the price hike of these items and take appropriate measures regarding the matter.
“We have to find out the alternatives of these right now to secure the livelihoods of the people of the country,” Hasina said.
She called upon the officials concerned to maintain austerity during the coronavirus pandemic period to face the unknown future after the war.
“There will be so many problems once the war ends. We have to be cautious to avert that and avoid pressure on our (foreign) reserve and make us dependent on others,” she added.
The prime minister said that every village in the country has to be developed and create employment there as a way the people can run their lives and livelihoods sitting in that village.
She put emphasis on encouraging the youths of the country so that they could deploy themselves in self-employment.
“We have to build up them to make them entrepreneurs using their creativity and talents,” she observed.
Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, said she thinks that getting a chance to be in the power is a scope to serve the people.
“My all-time aim is to change the fate of the people of the country. We have to bring positive changes to the grassroots level people of the country. By this, the country will advance further,” she continued.
Talking about Vision 2041, she said that this is a structure and it can be changed time to time if needed.
The premier further said the Ashrayan Project will help the country a lot to make it free from poverty and hunger.
Hasina, also the chief of the ruling party, said Awami League is the only political party that comes from the land and people of the country. “For that reason, all our thinking always centres on the country and its people.”
Regarding the developing country's status, she said this creates immense scopes for Bangladesh with some hurdles.
“We are holding meetings regularly to face and remove those hurdles,” she said.
Turning to the criticism by a section, she said: "I do not run the state reading write-ups in the newspapers. They can confuse the people.”