Minister: Farmers key to Bangladesh’s economic prosperity.
Social Welfare Minister Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain today said farmers are the key driving force behind the country's economic prosperity.
"Farmers are the key driving force of the country's economic prosperity. One of the key goals of the government is to maintain agricultural production to achieve economic prosperity. To this end, the government is providing assistance to financially disadvantaged farmers," he said.
The minister said this while speaking as the chief guest at a programme organised by the upazila administration and the Upazila Social Services Office at the Birampur Upazila Parishad Auditorium this evening.
At the programme, 20 women were provided sewing machines with funding from the Annual Development Programme (ADP), while 25 homeless poor families received two bundles of corrugated iron sheets each.
Besides, 92 persons with disabilities and homeless people received financial assistance cheques under various programmes of the Ministry of Social Welfare.
A total of 126 insolvent meritorious students were also given cheques as educational assistance, while 23 religious institutions received annual grants.
At the same programme, vegetable seeds and 10 kilograms of chemical fertiliser each were distributed among 840 farmers of the upazila with assistance from the Department of Agricultural Extension.
The minister said the government is working to build an inclusive and humane Bangladesh without leaving anyone neglected in society.
"Standing beside the helpless, distressed, persons with disabilities and meritorious students is the government's constitutional commitment. To this end, the scope of social safety-net programmes is being further expanded," he added.
He said the assistance is aimed at promoting self-employment among women, encouraging poor students in their studies, creating housing opportunities for homeless people and strengthening the activities of social and religious institutions.
He added that such programmes would continue.
District administration officials and local BNP leaders, among others, were present at the programme.
