Government targets agriculture, fisheries as economic growth drivers.
Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu today said the government is working in a coordinated manner to increase production and create new employments aimed at making the agriculture and fisheries sectors key drivers of the country's economy.
“The government is working in a coordinated manner to increase production, introduce modern technologies, raise the incomes of farmers and fishermen, and create new employments to develop the agriculture and fisheries sectors as key drivers of the country's economy,” he said.
The minister said this while speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of National Fisheries Fortnight-2026 at the District Auditorium (Old) here this morning.
The district administration and the Department of Fisheries jointly organised the event with the theme ‘Rupali Mathsye Swanirbor Desh, Sobar Aage Bangladesh’.
On the occasion, Dulu said, When farmers and fishermen get benefit, the country's economy become stronger. Therefore, the government is putting emphasis on safe food production, proper utilization of agricultural and fisheries resources and ensuring fair price of their produces.”
Earlier, the fisheries fortnight campaign began with a colorful rally brought out from the Circuit House in the district headquarters while the relief minister inaugurated the rally by releasing balloons. Later, Dulu released fishes in the pond at the Lalmonirhat Police Lines.
The minister said the government wants to make the rural economy more dynamic by utilizing the potential of the agriculture and fisheries sectors.
Initiatives have been taken to increase agriculture- and fisheries-based employment while ensuring food and nutritional security for the people, he said.
Noting that development of the country does not depend solely on infrastructure development, he said improvement of the living standard of the people engaged in productive sectors like agriculture and pisciculture is also an important indicator of development.
The minister said that the benefits of development would not reach ordinary people if producers don’t receive fair price despite increased production in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.
Dulu said the government's investment and planning in the agriculture and fisheries sectors aim not only to increase production but also to ensure profitability for producers and create employment opportunities.
He said work is underway to further develop the sectors through effective measures for modern farming, safe fish production, proper utilization of water bodies and conservation of fisheries resources.
“Once, many of the country's water bodies and fisheries resources were not properly utilized. Now, opportunities have been created to bring these resources under production and increase the incomes and employment of rural communities,” the minister said.
Increased fish production could help meet the country's nutritional needs while further increasing the contribution of the fisheries sector to economic growth, he added.
He stressed the need to view the development of agriculture and fisheries in an integrated manner, saying coordination among farmers, fishermen, entrepreneurs, market systems and government support must be established.
“The present government is moving forward to strengthen the production-based economy through such coordination,” Dulu said.
Other speakers at the event highlighted various aspects of safe fish production, use of modern technologies, and conservation of fisheries resources, increasing production, and social and economic development of fishermen.
Lalmonirhat Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rashedul Hoque Prodhan and District Fisheries Officer Sarwar Jahan were present, among others, at the event.
