World Milk Day observed across country

World Milk Day-2023 was observed across the country on Thursday in a befitting manner.

In 2001, the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations announced June 1 as World Milk Day. The main theme of the day this year was “Sustainable Dairy, Good for the Planet, Good for You”.

In Bhola, Marking the day, a colourful rally was brought out from the deputy commissioner’s office which paraded the town yesterday morning.

District Administration and the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) of the district jointly organised a discussion at the conference room of the deputy commissioner’s office this morning.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Ripon Kumar Saha addressed the function as the chief guest with District Livestock Officer Indrajit Kumar Mondal in the chair.

The speakers said, to stay healthy, one should drink a glass of milk every day. There is no substitute for milk to prevent disease in the human body. And the main purpose of observing this day is to make common people aware, they added.

In Lakshmipur, a colourful rally was brought out from the District Animal Resources Department office which paraded the important streets yesterday morning marking the day.

After the rally, a discussion was held at the Sadar Upazila Animal Resources Office auditorium. Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Noor A Alam addressed the function as the chief guest with District Animal Resources Officer Mosharaf Hossain in the chair.

Deputy Director of the district family planning department Ashfakur Rahman Mamun and upazila animal resource officer Mahmuda Sultana spoke as the special guests.

In Gaibandha, marking the day, the DLS chalked out elaborate programmes in cooperation with the district administration and the Institute of Livestock, Science and Technology (ILST) here.

A discussion was held at the hall room of the ILST, located at the Board Bazar of the town with DC Oliur Rahman in the chair.

Whip of the Jatiya Sangshad and local lawmaker MahabubAra Begum Gini virtually joined the programme as chief guest and Additional Police Super Ibne Mizan spoke at the event as special guest.

District Livestock Officer (DLO) Dr Masudur Rahman Sarker joined the function as chief discussant.

Terming milk as an extremely impressive source of calcium, the DLO urged all to create much awareness among all sections of people about the incredible merits of milk.

In Rajshahi, livestock experts at a post-rally discussion unequivocally called for boosting milk production and its consumption to eradicate the malnutrition problems for building a healthy society and the nation as a whole.

Highlighting the enormous aspects of milk in the nation-building process, they unanimously viewed that milk consumption is very important for both the physical and mental development of children. So, utmost emphasis should be given to ensuring the fair price of milk and its safe supply.

District Administration and district DLS, jointly organised the discussion at the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) to mark World Milk Day 2023. The Livestock and Dairy Development Project supported the rally and meeting.

DC Shamim Ahmed and Additional DC Kolyan Chowdhury addressed the discussion as chief and special guests respectively, while District Livestock Officer Dr Zulfikar Muhammad Akhter Hossain was in the chair.

Senior Scientific Officer Dr Asim Kumar Pramanik and Veterinary Surgeon Dr Saila Sharmin also spoke disseminating their expertise on the issue, while Upazila Livestock Officer Dr Subrata Kumar Sarker welcomed the participants.

Taking part in the discussion dairy farmers Lovely Akhter, Sadeque Ahmed, Dr Golam Rahid and Bablur Rahman shared their experiences related to their ventures and successes. They also called for solving their existing problems to make the business more profitable and sustainable.

Additional District Livestock Officer Dr Fazley Rabbi highlighted the aspects of milk consumption in terms of building a healthy and knowledgeable nation during his keynote presentation.

He defined that protein is the vital nutrition for normal growth and development of the brain and other essential nutrients of the human body while livestock is the pivotal source of nutrition.

Illustrating the importance and significance of the day besides giving an overview of milk production in the Rajshahi division Dr Rabbi mentioned that large-scale promotion of the livestock sector is very important to remove the existing protein deficiency alongside ensuring food security.

He said many people suffer from malnutrition, especially a lack of animal protein like milk, meat and egg. He revealed that the production of huge amounts of meat through the indigenous beef-cattle improvement would supply low-cost meat for people and it will ultimately protect them from malnutrition.

In his remarks, DC Shamim Ahmed attributed that the present government under the prudent and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been implementing a gigantic project at present to mitigate the country’s protein deficiency through boosting the livestock sector.