Politicians, economists and bureaucrats at a discussion on Saturday demanded establishment of an agricultural price commission so that farmers could get legitimate price for their crops.
The commission is essential to save Bangladesh鈥檚 rural economy, the lifeline of the country鈥檚 economic development, they said at a seminar organised by the Bangladesh Krishak-Majur Samhati at the Economic Reporters鈥� Forum in Dhaka.
鈥楩armers鈥� interest remained unprotected thanks to the absence of a comprehensive effort to protect them in independent Bangladesh in over five decades,鈥� said Dewan Abdur Rashid Nilu, president, Bangladesh Krishak-Majur Samhati, while presiding over the event in the city.
鈥楾he opportunity created by the July mass-uprising to build a discrimination-free country must be used in favour of farmers,鈥� he said.
The speakers said that the interim government should increase allocations in the agricultural sector from the development allocation for the forthcoming budget for fiscal 2025-26 for betterment of the farmers.
Central leader of the organisation Touhidur Rahman said at the seminar that the agriculture sector of the country was deprived of the justified amount of allocations in the previous budgets in the past 54 years.
So the farmers and working class people were deprived of incentives for continuation of their work and professions, he added.
He called on the interim government to increase allocations in the agriculture sector of the country.
Agro-economist Jahangir Alam recalled the role agriculture played in the country鈥檚 development.
The sector grew by 3 per cent on average over the past 53 years, said Jahangir, adding that the growth was higher than the global average growth in agricultural sector.聽聽聽
Agriculture secretary Anwar Faroque said that the present government was taking steps for the development of the farmers and working class people of the country.
Bazlur Rashid Firoz, general secretary of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh and also a farmer leader called on the interim government to increase allocations in the agricultural sector in the forthcoming budget.
ASMA Sabur, president of Bangladesh Krishak Samiti, joint secretary of Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal Obaidur Rahman Tipu, president of Bangladesh Bahumukhi Sramajibi Samiti Bachchu Bhuiyan, general secretary of the organisation Abdul Alim, general secretary of Jatiya Krishak Jote Ashek-e-Elahi and others spoke at the seminar.
The speakers also said that the agricultural sector slipped to the control of private sector, which now controls 90 per cent of the sector.
