Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud on Thursday urged the World Food Programme (WFP) to conduct programme on raising public awareness about healthier food habits and consumption of locally produced agricultural products and on efficient and sustainable use of arable lands.

He made the request when Country Director of UN World Food Programme (WFP) Domenico Scalpelli met him at his office.

The Foreign Minister appreciated WFP for its sustained life-saving support for the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals (Rohingya) temporarily sheltered in Bangladesh in both Cox’s Bazar and Bhashan Char.

Appreciating WFP for partially restoring the ration to US$10 per person per month and adding locally fortified rice into the assistance package, he requested to further increase the ration to cope up with price hike globally. 

The Country Director appreciated the remarkable improvement of food production capacity of Bangladesh and role of agricultural science and technology in this regard.

The Foreign Minister also expressed satisfaction on the positive results from the school feeding programme supported by WFP since 2011.

The Country Director has informed that new school feeding programme with local nutritious food items is in the pipeline to be implemented.  

He also confirmed the WFPs readiness to work together with the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and Ministry of Food.

The Foreign Minister assured Scalpelli of all out assistances during  his tenure of office in Dhaka.