07 September 2023:

At the invitation of Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Dr Muhamad Abdur Razzaque, Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture of Bangladesh attended the International Conference on Food Security in Samarkand 07 September 2023. Dr. Mohammad Monirul Islam, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Uzbekistan and Md. Fakhre Alam Ibne Tabib, Executive Director of Bangladesh Cotton Development Board also attended the conference as part of the Bangladesh delegation.

In his remarks at the plenary session of the conference, attended by a significant number of Agriculture Ministers from all over the world, Dr. Razzaque highlighted the government’s proactive, pragmatic and people centric policies and programmes in ensuring food security in Bangladesh. In this context, he particularly cited the development of stress-tolerant varieties of crops in coping with the climate change impacts. The Minister reiterated the government’s commitment in achieving the sustainable development goals by 2030 including its goal number-2 (zero hunger).

Pointing to the importance of solidarity and cooperation among the members of the international community, he laid greater emphasis in collaboration, both at regional and international levels, on technology transfer, knowledge sharing, investment in agriculture science and innovation as well as lifting barriers on food and fertilizer exports. He called upon everyone to work in coordinated and concerted manner in building a poverty free, hunger free, prosperous and peaceful world for the current and generations to come.

Ahead of the plenary session, the conference was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Mr. Abdulla Aripov.

​Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture is expected to have a bilateral meeting with his Uzbekistan counterpart tomorrow (08 September 2023), on the sidelines of the conference.