Kurigram Correspondent :
Distribution of fortified rice among poor beneficiaries under Food-Friendly Programme of the Government began in Kurigram Sadar Upazila Parishad premises on Thursday morning.
Food Minister Adv Md Kamrul Islam MP, inaugurated the programme as Chief Guest. Each beneficiary family under programme will receive 30 kilograms of fortified rice as Tk 10 per kilogram every month according to government decision.
Over 30 thousand poor families of Phulbari and Sadar upazilas of the district will get the benefit while about two lakh poor families of 97 upazilas of the country will be brought under the programme this year. It is found through a research on human heaths of Bangladesh that most of Bangladeshi people are facing deficiency of six micro-nutrients in their bodies. Those are Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin12, Folic Acid, Iron and Zinc.
Poor people have been brought under the programme as they are facing the deficiency than others. The fortified kernels are made with adding the micro-nutrients to rice powder and the fortified rice is prepared with mixing the fortified kernels with normal rice. Next the fortified rice will be sold in open markets for all. The Food Minister said that the people’s purchasing capacity has been increased as the country is now self-sufficient in food. However, people are suffering from malnutrition due to the lack of awareness about balance food.
To remove the nutrition problem, the government has taken various steps for the people. In the programme Food Secretary Shahabuddin Ahmed, Director General (Food) Badrul Hasan and Kurigram zila parishad chairman Md Jafor Ali were special guests while Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Most Sultana Parvin presided over the meeting. Among donor organisations’ representatives, Ms Christa Rader of UN-WFP and Mr Jeroen Steeghs of the Kingdom of Netherlands were present there also.
Distribution of fortified rice among poor beneficiaries under Food-Friendly Programme of the Government began in Kurigram Sadar Upazila Parishad premises on Thursday morning.
Food Minister Adv Md Kamrul Islam MP, inaugurated the programme as Chief Guest. Each beneficiary family under programme will receive 30 kilograms of fortified rice as Tk 10 per kilogram every month according to government decision.
Over 30 thousand poor families of Phulbari and Sadar upazilas of the district will get the benefit while about two lakh poor families of 97 upazilas of the country will be brought under the programme this year. It is found through a research on human heaths of Bangladesh that most of Bangladeshi people are facing deficiency of six micro-nutrients in their bodies. Those are Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin12, Folic Acid, Iron and Zinc.
Poor people have been brought under the programme as they are facing the deficiency than others. The fortified kernels are made with adding the micro-nutrients to rice powder and the fortified rice is prepared with mixing the fortified kernels with normal rice. Next the fortified rice will be sold in open markets for all. The Food Minister said that the people’s purchasing capacity has been increased as the country is now self-sufficient in food. However, people are suffering from malnutrition due to the lack of awareness about balance food.
To remove the nutrition problem, the government has taken various steps for the people. In the programme Food Secretary Shahabuddin Ahmed, Director General (Food) Badrul Hasan and Kurigram zila parishad chairman Md Jafor Ali were special guests while Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Most Sultana Parvin presided over the meeting. Among donor organisations’ representatives, Ms Christa Rader of UN-WFP and Mr Jeroen Steeghs of the Kingdom of Netherlands were present there also.
