Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday asked the secretaries to take precautionary measures alongside making people aware so that the country can avert the looming famine amid the prolonged global crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war, reports BSS.
“This is not my word. It is said globally that a famine may immerge before the world. We have to take measures in advance from now on so that the looming famine never strikes our country,” she said while delivering her introductory speech in the Secretaries' Committee Meeting at her Tejgaon office in the capital.
The Prime Minister made a number of suggestions for implementation which include being economical in public expenditure, setting priority development projects, diversifying exports, attracting investments, preparing skilled manpower for the fourth industrial revolution, making people aware to bring every inch of fallow land under cultivation and showing austerity in using electricity and gas.
Sheikh Hasina said when the world economy is reeling from the pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, sanctions and counter sanctions have created economic recession across the globe, adding that one or two countries are getting benefit of the crisis while rest of the countries including the developed ones have been suffering immensely.
“Developed countries are even facing severe crises for which their economic growth and reserve have been declining. Inflation has increased manifolds across the globe. Our country is not out of its purview and it also hits our economy,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has enough reserve of the foreign currency despite the global recession.
“We have a reserve capable of purchasing food for five to six months although it is enough to have a reserve required for buying food for three months,” she said.
But, all have to be cautious and economical alongside cutting additional expenditure as the developed countries have been suffering over the reserve.
Due to the war, the prices of fertiliser, wheat, rice, edible oil and fuel oil have increased manifolds alongside the transportation costs that resulted in sliding down the reserve globally, she said.
“We're not going to fall in danger so far, but we have to take measures in advance so that we do not fall in trouble in future. We're taking all the measures carefully to this end,” she said.
The Prime Minister said the most important thing is that Bangladesh has to take prompt measures to make the masses aware to grow food for their own after bringing under cultivation every inch of their fallow lands across the country.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
