Every village must gain strong economy
Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said every village must be equipped with a strong economy and urban-level facilities to drive Bangladesh’s development forward.
He made the remarks while inaugurating the two-day 36th Annual Planning Conference of the Rural Development Academy in Bogura.
“Every village must be transformed with a strong economy and urban facilities to take the country another step forward,” Fakhrul said, adding that the RDA had been working continuously to improve the living standards of rural communities.
He said the academy aimed to become a centre of excellence in rural development by responding to the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, reducing poverty and promoting sustainable rural transformation.
Future development plans should be aligned with the government’s Eighth Five-Year Plan,
the Sustainable Development Goals and the Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan, he added.
The minister also called for a shift away from confrontational politics towards education, dignity and sustainable development.
He stressed the need to create jobs for young people, formulate modern policies, ensure fair prices for farmers and fair wages for workers, and expand access to quality education and affordable healthcare.
Fakhrul also called for strict enforcement of laws against corruption and irregularities, saying stronger trust and coordination were needed to build a fair and liveable society.
The conference, held at the RDA auditorium on 25 and 26 July, was chaired by Rural Development and Cooperatives Division Secretary Md Shawkat Rashid Chowdhury.
RDA Acting Director General Dr Md Abdul Majid Pramanik presented the keynote paper.
Members of parliament, senior government officials and representatives from different ministries attended the event.
Speakers highlighted the academy’s role in addressing economic pressure, climate change, food insecurity and energy challenges through research, training, technology transfer and action research.
RDA’s major innovations include water-saving and solar-powered irrigation, two-tier farming, community biogas systems, women-led seed enterprises, rural plant clinics, Trichoderma technology, internet-based irrigation, climate-resilient farming and artificial breeding programmes for livestock.
The conference also included discussions on training and research, presentations of papers and posters, and an exhibition of products developed by the academy.
