PM rules out possibility of foodgrain shortage

Bangladesh successful in garnering diplomatic support over Rohingya issue


FE Team | Published: November 22, 2017 19:11:27 | Updated: November 23, 2017 12:52:32


PM rules out possibility of foodgrain shortage

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ruled out the possibility of any major shortfall in foodgrain production though flood has caused damages to crops.

"There will be no major shortfall in foodgrain production though crop production has suffered damages due to flood," she said.

The Prime Minister was responding to a question from M Nurul Islam (Comilla-8) during PM's question-answer session in the parliament on Wednesday.

Sheikh Hasina said the government is always active to achieve the food production target.

The Prime Minister said the government has taken various programmes to help the affected farmers recoup their crop losses. 

The government has taken a special agriculture rehabilitation progreamme involving Tk 1.17 billion in aid of the flood-affected farmers in six districts of the haor region. 

Hasina some 3,88,15000 metric tonnes of granular foodgrains --rice, wheat and maize -- were produced in the last fiscal (2016-17). 

Talking about bilateral talks with Myanmar on Rohingya issue, Bangladesh has emphasised bilateral talks to resolve the crisis.

She said Bangladesh has been successful in garnering the international community’s support for a safe return of the Rohingyas.

“Our diplomatic efforts are going on to resolve the crisis through bilateral discussions,” Hasina said in parliament.

According to several media, Bangladesh has already handed over a draft of a deal to repatriate the refugees, which she said was now being discussed and evaluated.

A military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine State has driven more than 600,000 Rohingya out of the Buddhist-majority country since late August.

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