Photo: Video Screenshot

SANGSAD BHABAN, April 19, 2026 (BSS)- Agriculture, fisheries and livestock minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid has said the government is working to establish an agro-based export processing zone in the northern region aiming to revitalize the country’s economy.

The government already has taken various steps in this regard, he said in a statement responding to an urgent important public notice raised by opposition lawmaker Obaidullah Salafi of Nilphamari-3 in the Jatiya Sangsad today.

Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal was in the chair.

Terming the country’s northern region as resourceful region the minster said the present government believes that an agro-based EPZ would accelerate country’s economy.

Under the programme, he said the government already has allocated Taka 683.98 crore among the farmers in the two upazilas under Nilphamari district for producing lentil, oilseed, spices and maize in 2024-25 fiscal year.

Till March in 2025-26 fiscal year, the government has given fertilizer subsidy of Taka 16,240 crore where Taka 36 has been given against per kg urea, 62 for triple super phosphate (TSP), Taka 91 for Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and Taka 32 for muriate of potash (MoP).

Recalling the contribution of Shaheed president Ziaur Rahman in county’s agriculture, the minister said the country achieved self-sufficiency in food production for the first time during Zia’s regime. Even former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia first exempted farmers’ loan upto Taka 5,000.

Similarly, after coming to power, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has exempted agri-loan up to Taka 10,000, spending about Taka 1,550 crore and benefitting about 12 lakh farmers.

Terming the Farmer Card as a ‘revolutionary’ initiative, Rashid said the government has introduced this card aiming to bring farmers under the card system to make subsidies, loans, and incentives more accessible to them.

Over the next four years, the government will distribute the farmer card to 16.5 million farmers including fishermen and dairy farmers.

“Through this card, the BNP government aims to end structural deprivation of farmers,” he said.