Farmers' card is a right of farmers, not for any special class: Agriculture Minister

Bangla Press Desk: The farmer card is not for any special class, it is the right of every genuine farmer in the country, said Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Md. Amin Ur Rashid. He said, 'Fair price of farmers' products will be ensured.
No one will give wrong information about the farmer card. If wrong information is given, the farmer can be deprived of the benefits of the card and also face legal complications.'
He said these things during an on-site inspection of the farmers' information collection program as part of the nationwide farmer card distribution program at Kali Mahajan Bari in Kachuai Union of Patiya Upazila of Chittagong on Friday (July 17) afternoon.
The minister said, 'The government is working to transform agriculture into a modern, technology-based and profitable sector.
If a proper database of farmers can be created, it will be possible to quickly deliver all types of government assistance, subsidies, incentives and emergency assistance in the agriculture, fisheries and livestock sectors to the real beneficiaries. For this, 100% transparency in data collection must be ensured.’
He also said, ‘A national database of the country’s farmers is being developed through the farmer card. It will store information on the farmer’s identity, land area, type of production, fish and livestock.
This database will play an important role in formulating agricultural policies and conducting support activities in the future.’
The minister said, ‘We want farmers to get fair prices for their production. If farmers survive, agriculture will survive, and if agriculture survives, the country’s economy will be stronger. Farmers will lose benefits if they provide wrong information in the farmer card. Under our three-year project, this year we will distribute farmer cards to 4.3 million farmers.
Also present at the time were Chittagong-12 (Patia) constituency MP Mohammad Enamul Haque Enam, Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension, Krishibid Md. Abdur Rahim, Additional Director of Chittagong Region Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Deputy Director of Chittagong District Apru Marma, Patia Upazila Executive Officer Farhanur Rahman, Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Habibullah, Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer Swapan Chandra Dey, Upazila Livestock Officer Dr. Md. Ilias, Upazila Agricultural Extension Officer Tapan Kumar Roy, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Patiya Police Station Md. Ziaul Haque and others.
The on-site minister observed the data collection activities and instructed the officials in charge to exercise utmost caution in verifying the information. Besides, he also exchanged views with the farmers and inquired about their various problems, production costs, market arrangements and receipt of government services. Source: kaler kontho

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