Bridge the pay gap, bring agricultural work under labour law

The overwhelming consensus among experts and media professionals is that cheap labour is Bangladesh’s primary comparative advantage.

Low allocations for sectors that ensure people’s well-being, such as health, education, agriculture and social safety protection, is unacceptable

Catkins (locally known as kashia) have emerged as a reliable source of income for marginal farmers in some districts.

Vegetable's wholesale prices in Pabna fell by 50% in the three-day blockade from Oct 31

The government today launched a Tk 7,000 crore project to boost the commercialisation of farming and accelerate agricultural exports by facilitating the expansion of safe food production.

The government will give Tk 189 crore in incentives to the farmers of 10 winter crops this fiscal year, agriculture ministry said today.

Agritourism, through which visitors can experience how a farm works, presents a unique opportunity to leverage Bangladesh's rich agricultural heritage and diverse rural landscapes. With its vibrant farming communities and traditional agricultural practices, the country could become a leading destination for such tourism.

Take urgent stock of the impact of El Nino on our agriculture

Gleaning is a term used in the agriculture business.

Dealers and farmers will have to pay an additional Tk 5 per kg for fertilisers as the government has increased the prices of urea, DAP, TSP and MOP fertilisers

For the first time in his 30 years of farming, Samaresh Mondal is growing dry-season rice, locally named Boro, along with 50 of his peers in a synchronised manner in their locality of Satibunia under Botiaghata upazila of Khulna.

It seems the Bangladesh economy is stuck in a time warp, going by the latest edition of the Labour Force Survey unveiled yesterday.

Agriculture accounts for approximately 13.6 per cent of Bangladesh’s GDP and employs more than 40.6 per cent of the labour force. As technology advances, so do agricultural applications, ushering in a new era of industrial upheaval.

A Tk 3,020 crore government project to popularise cultivation on big plots of land with the help of modern agricultural tools has seen little success in the last two years.

Both the government and private sector should come forward and encourage climate-smart agriculture as well as the production of non-local crops, which have immense possibilities. It would not only increase the productivity of our agriculture sector, but also maintain self-sufficiency and ensure food security in Bangladesh. 

Life has become exceedingly difficult for craftsmen that make different bamboo products used in agriculture and fishing as production costs have soared in recent years.

Saiful Islam has lately been busy preparing his five bighas of land to grow paddy. But he reckons he will have to spend Tk 25,000 more than he did last season for the cultivation as the cost of just about everything has gone up.

One of his finest strengths was his ability to communicate at all levels. He could comfortably address a roomful of diplomats, academics and policymakers, and not miss a beat when speaking to them about his dreams. He could mix with ordinary people from all walks of life, speak in their local dialects, and relate to their problems just as easily.

Rafiqul Islam, who lives in the Dashmile area of Dinajpur sadar upazila, has innovated various types of agricultural machinery that provide a cheap and easy way for famers to achieve higher production.