Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid  has stressed the need to advance the country through safe food production and technical education.

“There is no shame in agricultural work. We have to go to the fields and produce our own crops. We drink cow’s milk and eat beef, so why should we feel ashamed of handling cow dung?” he said.

“We have to move forward with limited resources and ensure their maximum utilisation,” he added.

The minister made the remarks on Saturday while addressing a seminar titled “Technical Education and Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security” as the chief guest on the second day of a three-day technical education and innovation fair organised by the Cumilla District Technical, Vocational Education and Training Institution Forum (TVET) at the Cumilla Town Hall field.

The minister said Bangladesh is one of the best and most fertile places in the world for agricultural production.

“Nowhere else in the world can you find soil, air, sunlight and rainfall like ours, and the people of this country are extremely hardworking,” he said.

However, he said many people in the country are now suffering from cancer due to the excessive use of pesticides in crops, with farmers accounting for a significant portion of those affected, according to scientific research.

“We have to focus on producing safe food to save the next generation and keep ourselves healthy. Although there is no shortage of food in the world, there is a severe shortage of ‘safe food’,” he said.

Highlighting the future prospects of agricultural products and the government’s plans, the agriculture minister said the government is working to turn agricultural products into the country’s leading export items.

“Until now this year, we have not had to import any onions from abroad,” he said.

“We dream of a day when Bangladesh will export various agricultural products, including onions, to foreign countries,” he said.

“Unfortunately, we still have to import green chillies, carrots and tomatoes. But the day is not far when we will no longer need to import these products; rather, we will export them, InshaAllah,” he added.

The minister also said he was greatly encouraged by seeing university students returning home during holidays and helping their parents in the fields.

At the beginning of the programme, the minister visited various stalls at the fair and inspected innovative projects developed by students, praising their initiatives.

Cumilla Deputy Commissioner Rosy Akter presided over the seminar.