Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter has said that the involvement of rural communities, especially women, is essential to build a Bangladesh enriched and self-sufficient in animal nutrition. The national nutrition demand will be met not through large farmers, but through the combined efforts of the men and women of rural Bangladesh, she said.
The adviser made these remarks as the chief guest at an event distributing animals and animal feed to stakeholders under the Integrated Livestock Development Project in char areas of Manikganj, Dhaka, Munshiganj, Rajbari, Faridpur, and Shariatpur districts, held at Ati Bhawal High School in Keraniganj on Sunday morning.
The livestock adviser said, “Even if women in char areas do not have land or property in their names, livestock is their own asset. Empowering women economically makes it easier to manage family, education, and medical expenses, which perhaps a male member of the family cannot always do with his income. The benefits of this project will have a positive impact on our national development.”
The event was chaired by the Director General of the Department of Livestock, Md Abu Sufian. He said, “The livestock distributed today will eventually become assets.” He urged recipients to immediately seek services from the nearest livestock office if an animal falls ill.
Project Director Dr Md Abdur Rahim said, “The distribution of animals and feed is not just a gift; it is an opportunity for beneficiaries to move toward self-reliance. This initiative will strengthen the local economy and ensure national food and nutrition security.”
In today’s special distribution programme, 64 beneficiaries of duck-rearing packages each received 21 ducks; 69 beneficiaries of chicken-rearing each received 25 chickens; 74 beneficiaries of sheep-rearing each received 3 sheep; and 10 beneficiaries of goat-rearing each received 2 goats. Additionally, 75kgs of granular feed was distributed among 64 beneficiaries.
Present at the event were Director of the Dhaka Divisional Livestock Office Farida Yasmin, Director of the Department Md Shahjaman Khan, District Livestock Officer Basana Akhter, Upazila Executive Officer Rinat Fowzia, district and upazila livestock officers, and beneficiaries.
