Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque on Saturday said the government is giving emphasis on cotton production in the country and strengthening the Cotton Development Board for this.
“Cotton is a very important cash crop all over the world. The government is giving importance to cotton production in the country and bolstering the Cotton Development Board in this regard,” he said while unveiling the foundation stone of the Cotton Development Board building ‘Tula Bhaban’ on Khamarbari Road in the capital.
Agriculture Secretary Md Nasiruzzaman was present as a special guest while Executive Director of Cotton Development Board Md Farid Uddin presided over the function.
The Cotton Development Board was formed on December 14 in 1972 with the sincere and sole intention of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to expand cotton cultivation and increase production in the country, the minister said.
He said Bangladesh has to import about 80-86 lakh bales of cotton every year whereas the production of cotton in the country is only about 2 lakh bales.
Razzaque expressed his optimism over the cotton production, saying cotton production is increasing day by day due to the recent innovation and cultivation of improved hybrid varieties by the Cotton Development Board.
The government is strengthening the Cotton Development Board in all respects, he said, adding that it is setting up physical infrastructures, equipments, laboratories and recruiting skilled manpower so that the production of cotton can be accelerated and the target can be achieved by inventing new varieties suitable for the climate of Bangladesh.
