United News of Bangladesh

Agriculture, and also Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid on Saturday said ensuring fair prices of agricultural products produced by farmers is one of the government's top priorities. The farmers' interests would be protected by bringing production, incentives, subsidies and market management under an integrated framework through a farmer card programme, he said. The minister made the remarks, while addressing a views-exchange with officials of the Department of Fisheries, the Department of Livestock Services and other agencies under the agriculture ministry at the Chittagong Circuit House, said a PID handout here. He said the government, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, believes that strengthening farmers' economic condition is essential for building a stronger national economy. To achieve this goal, the government is implementing programmes to modernise the agriculture, fisheries and livestock sectors through planned and technology-driven management, while boosting production, improving marketing and ensuring better incomes for farmers. The Agriculture Minister called upon officials to implement government policies, plans and directives properly. He warned that those who fail to keep pace with the government's work and performance would be held accountable. The minister said an integrated digital database of farmers is being developed through the farmer card programme. Following the successful completion of a pilot project, the initiative will be expanded gradually to cover marginal, small and other farmers across the country. The programme will help identify genuine farmers, facilitate the direct distribution of government incentives and subsidies, take production planning and make agricultural marketing more efficient and transparent, he said. State Minister for Land and CHT affairs Mir Mohammed Helal Uddin, Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Md Delwar Hossain, Director General of the Department of Fisheries Dr Md Khaled kanak, Director of Local Government Division (Chattogram) Monowara Begum and Deputy Commissioner of Chattogram Mohammad Zahidul Islam Miah were present.

Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid on Thursday told the Parliament that Bangladesh has around 2.18 crore acres of arable land, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the country's total area. “The total arable land area of Bangladesh is about 88,29,000 hectares (2.18 crore acres), which is about 59.7 percent of the total area of the country,” he said, while replying to a question from MP Khairul Kabir Khokan (Narsingdi-1). Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad tabled the question-and-answer session for Thursday, immediately after the day’s business started at 3:00pm. The agriculture minister said a huge amount of cultivable land is being lost every year due to unplanned urbanisation, housing and industrialisation in Bangladesh. To address this situation and ensure the country's food security, the government has recently taken several tough and significant steps, including the enactment of the Land Use Control and Agricultural Land Protection Act, 2026. Amin Ur Rashid said the government is providing quality seeds, irrigation facilities, and agricultural loans on easy terms to farmers to convert one-crop or two-crop lands into three-crop lands, so that farmers are motivated to cultivate their land instead of leasing or selling it for non-agricultural purposes.