A Correspondent<:/strong>
Tangail: Fisheries, Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid yesterday said introduction of the ‘Farmer Card’ for landless, marginal and small farmers marks a historic milestone for the people of Tangail and the country as a whole.
“Under the program, farmers will receive an annual assistance of Tk 2,500 along with other facilities,” he said after visiting the venue of Farmer Card launching event at Shaheed Maruf Stadium in Tangail around 11:00am yesterday to inspect preparations for the formal launch of the program.
State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku and State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul Haque also visited the venue.
Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman is expected to inaugurate the program today at the stadium, coinciding with the celebration of Pohela Boishakh. A festive atmosphere is prevailing across the district centering the event.
Speaking to journalists, Aminur Rashid said nearly 70 percent of the country’s population is directly or indirectly engaged in agriculture, stressing that overall economic development depends on improving farmers’ livelihoods.
“The initiative of launching Farmer Card has been taken to ensure that farmers receive fair prices and rightful benefits at every stage from production to marketing,” he said.
The minister said that the launch on the first day of the Bengali New Year has added special significance to the occasion. “It is a double celebration – the beginning of a new year and the start of the country’s first Farmer Card program, making it a historic day for Tangail and the nation,” he added.
BNP vice-chairman and former deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu, Agriculture Ministry Secretary Rafiqul E Mohammed, Deputy Commissioner Sharifa Haque, District Zila Parishad Administrator Advocate SM Obaidul Haque Nasir, Superintendent of Police Mohammad Shamsul Alam Sarkar, and other officials were also present on the occasion.
