PM for considering jute as an agri product

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the authorities concerned to recognise jute as an agricultural product.

She made the directives while presiding over a cabinet meeting held at Prime Minister's Office (PMO) here today.

Instructing the authorities concerned to follow her directives strictly to this end, the premier said like other agricultural products, all kind of incentives must be given to farmers who cultivate jute.

The draft of National Agricultural Marketing Policy was approved at the meeting and the prime minister came up with the directives while making her comments on the policy, newly appointed cabinet secretary Md Mahbub Hossain told a press conference at the Secretariat here.

In the present context, he said, the use of jute has increased many folds and that is why it has created a huge potential of jute now.

To explore its potential, the premier has made the directives, so the jute will be considered as an agricultural product from now on, the cabinet secretary said.

Besides, he said, the prime minister has instructed the authorities concerned to formulate a policy on the processing of agricultural products.

Stating that 19 instructions have been given in the draft Agricultural Marketing Policy, Mahbub said the draft of policy has been approved at the cabinet meeting.

According to this policy, he said, importance has been given on how many issues.

These include: enhancing market linkages in agribusiness, strengthening agricultural marketing information management, strengthening community-based and group-based marketing, simplifying and modernising agricultural inputs and marketing, improving management of agricultural product warehouses and storage facilities, developing agricultural marketing infrastructure, youth development through agricultural business, taking steps to create employment, creating opportunities for women empowerment, enabling e-agricultural markets and monitoring supply chain to remain prices of essential agricultural products at affordable level.

The cabinet secretary said an agricultural university is being built in Shariatpur named after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"If this university is built, the number of public agricultural universities in the country will stand at nine. And there will be 54 public universities in the country," he said.

At the cabinet meeting, the draft of the 'Sheikh Hasina Agricultural University Act' was approved in principle, while the Sheikh Hasina Agricultural University Act will be like other agricultural university acts.

The draft of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (Amendment) Bill has been approved in principle at the meeting too.

Noting that by introducing the metro rail, a new era in the country's public transport system began on December 28 last, the cabinet secretary said the prime minister asked the authorities concerned to launch a campaign to create awareness among people about the use of metro rail in Dhaka.