Set up agricultural machinery factories in Bangladesh

Agriculture Minister Dr Mohammad Abdur Razzaque called on the Indian businessmen to set up agricultural machinery factories in Bangladesh and make spare parts for the country’s farmers, considering the demand and market for the agricultural machinery.

The Agriculture Minister also said that the government took up a comprehensive plan to modernise and commercialise the agriculture sector.

“In this case, there is no alternative to mechanisation of agriculture,” the minister said while speaking at an inaugural ceremony of a three-day agriculture mechanisation summit titled Indo-Bangladesh Agri Mechanisation Summit (IBAM) at the International Convention City Bashundhara.

The Agriculture Minister further said that Bangladesh is now self-sufficient in food grains and the government is also determined to ensure the food security not relying on the production of food crops but by providing nutritious and safe food to the people at affordable prices.

While speaking at the summit as the special guest, the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) President Md Jashim Uddin said that the country’s recent development with using of inland waterways, transit and transshipment in terms of the economic growth is very promising.

Mentioning that Bangladesh will overtake countries like the UK, Germany and Turkey to become the ninth largest consumer market in the world by 2030, the FBCCI President said, “Bangladesh has immense potential and we have to utilise the opportunities.”

“Bangladesh and India can work together in the production fields of agricultural machinery through joint cooperation and investment in special economic zones,” he added.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma expressed the hope that India would work together to meet the food demand of the huge population.

While speaking as a guest of honour he said, “Through this summit, new technologies will be brought to the agriculture sectors of the two countries and this will ensure food safety.”

The summit under the auspices of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and its sister concern, the Tractor and Mechanisation Association (TMA), India in collaboration with the FBCCI and the Indian High Commission will continue till January 29.