Govt eradicated ‘monga’ from country: Razzaque

Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque today said the present government has successfully eradicated monga (famine-like situation) from the country by taking different initiatives.

“If we can spread out the early variety of Aman paddy, invented by our scientists, in our northern region, the monga will not come back in future. These early ripening varieties of paddy would guarantee this,” he said.

The minister said this while addressing virtually a function organised by Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) at Taraganj, Rangpur, marking the harvesting of specimens of BINA-16 and BINA-17 varieties of paddy.

Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said these varieties have huge potential as their production is very good and these varieties ripen within 100 days. “We can produce other crops like potatoes and mustard after harvesting these paddies,” he added.

Agriculture Ministry’s senior secretary Md Mesbahul Islam, additional secretary Kamalaranjan Das, BINA director general Dr Mirza Mofazzal Islam, Rangpur deputy commissioner (DC) Md Asib Ahsan and local officials and scientists were present at the function in Taraganj.