CA Yunus seeks dutch support for cold storage facilities in villages

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Thursday sought Dutch support for establishing cold storage facilities in Bangladeshi villages to help preserve perishable agricultural products during harvest season.

Yunus made the formal request during a meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York.

Highlighting Bangladesh's emergence as a major producer of fruits and vegetables, Yunus said that millions of small farmers often suffer losses due to steep price drops during harvest time, when local markets are flooded with fresh produce.

The absence of short-term cold storage facilities in rural areas leaves farmers unable to preserve their harvests.

"The Netherlands is a world leader in agriculture. We need Dutch technology to preserve our produce," said Yunus.

"You could also consider sending researchers and scientists to work directly with our farmers."

He noted that hundreds of thousands of tonnes of fruits and vegetables rot each year in Bangladesh, primarily because of the lack of storage facilities. "This causes significant financial losses to our farmers," he added.

Yunus said there is growing international interest in Bangladeshi fruits such as mangoes, jackfruit, and guavas. However, scaling up exports will require access to advanced preservation technologies and logistics.

The chief adviser also emphasised the Netherlands' leadership in flood and river management and maritime technology. He sought Dutch cooperation in water management, ocean research, and efforts to keep Bangladesh's rivers navigable.

In response, Prime Minister Schoof said he would look into the issues raised and expressed interest in exploring collaboration in the textile sector as well.

The two leaders also discussed Bangladesh's upcoming general election, reforms initiated by the Interim Government, the rising threat of misinformation, and regional economic integration.

Yunus sought international support to counter misinformation campaigns ahead of the general election scheduled for February.

"We need your support. We need international support to fight this menace of misinformation," he said.

"There were no real elections during the 15 years of autocratic rule — only fake votes. Now, the cronies of the former dictators are funding anti-Bangladesh misinformation campaigns aimed at derailing the upcoming election," he added.

The Chief Adviser reiterated his government's commitment to holding a free, fair, and peaceful election in the first half of February. He mentioned that six political leaders are accompanying him in New York to help establish global connections ahead of the country's democratic transition.

"Millions of young Bangladeshis are excited to vote. Many of them have never had the opportunity to cast their ballots," he said.

Prime Minister Schoof echoed concerns about the growing misuse of artificial intelligence and its potential to spread misinformation, warning that it poses a serious threat to democracies worldwide.

"We can work together," he said.

Also present at the meeting were Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain, Chief Adviser's Special Envoy Lutfey Siddiqi, SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed, and Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam.