Rizvi calls for more allocation for agriculture

Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the Prime Minister's political and industrial affairs advisor and BNP's senior joint secretary general, said that considering the importance of the agricultural sector in the country's food security, employment and inflation control, more allocation should be increased in the budget for this sector.

He said this at a seminar titled 'Budget 2026-27: Outline of agricultural development and challenges of implementation' organized by the Agriculturists Association of Bangladesh (AAB) at the Krishibid Institute in the capital's Farmgate on Monday.

Rizvi said that the goal of providing agricultural cards to 4.25 million farmers in a budget of Tk 9.38 trillion is an important initiative. He believes that it will play a major role in agricultural development through rural financing.

Highlighting his experience as the chairman of the Agricultural Bank and Rakab, he said that after the famine of 1974, the Rural Agricultural Credit Program was launched during the reign of martyred President Ziaur Rahman. At that time, Tk 100 crore was allocated for farmers, which played an important role in restoring the rural economy. At the same time, initiatives like mechanization in agriculture, expansion of power tillers, canal digging and rice export helped to advance the agricultural sector.

Rizvi said that although the allocation for the agricultural sector in the current budget has increased compared to last year, this increase is not very much considering the inflation.

According to him, although the contribution of agriculture to the economy is currently between five and six percent, it should be aimed at increasing it to seven to eight percent. He said that since about 40 percent of the country's total employment is centered on agriculture, more importance needs to be given to this sector.

He said that although the national budget has increased by 17.7 percent, the increase in allocation for the agricultural sector is not very much in comparison. The agricultural sector needs more allocation and monitoring to implement the target set by the government. Otherwise, the desired transformation of agriculture may be hampered.

Highlighting the experience of a recent visit to Vietnam, Rizvi said that the country has expressed interest in importing one lakh metric tons of potatoes from Bangladesh, of which 30,000 metric tons are being imported this time.

He said that if the export market for agricultural products like potatoes is further expanded, marketing of farmers' products will be easier and excess production will not be wasted.

Calling for more emphasis on agricultural research, he said that a large number of agronomists are coming out of agricultural universities and colleges in the country. If their talent and research are properly utilized, it will be possible to fully utilize the existing potential in the agricultural sector.

Rizvi also emphasized the use of modern technology for preserving agricultural products. He said that if technology for long-term preservation of other fruits and vegetables besides potatoes can be brought to the country, excess seasonal products will not be wasted. He stressed on the use of advanced technology and encouraging entrepreneurs in this regard.

He said that it is possible to reduce import dependence by further increasing the production of products like onion, ginger and garlic. For this, research and extension activities should be increased.

Rizvi said that even if the country does not have sufficient raw materials for heavy industry, agriculture can be the main industrial base of Bangladesh. Citing the examples of New Zealand and Denmark, he said that these countries have developed by developing agro-based industries. Bangladesh also has opportunities to expand agro-based industries.

He said that if agriculture is weak, food security, employment and inflation will be affected. Therefore, it is necessary to give importance to more allocation, research and creation of scientific manpower in the agricultural sector to achieve the set goals of the government.

The seminar was chaired by the convener of the Agriculturists Association of Bangladesh, agriculturist Dr. Kamruzzaman Kaiser and moderated by member secretary agriculturist Shahadat Hossain Biplob. Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Dr. Rafiqul E. Mohammad, Professor and Head of the Department of Agricultural Finance and Banking of Bangladesh Agricultural University Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman Khan, Deepto Television's Head of News S. M. Akash, Chhatra Dal Vice President Dr. Touhidur Rahman Awal and others.