The country director of UN World Food Programme (WFP) Domenico Scalpelli said there is no fear of famine in Bangladesh.
However, all countries in the world, including the developed ones, will have to put special emphasis on food production next year with strengthening the social safety net for the poorer.
He came up with this remark on Thursday afternoon in a meeting with the agricultural minister Abdur Razzaque at the secretariat in Dhaka.
The agricultural ministry issued a press release over the meeting.
Later, the minister briefed the media where he claimed the aman [paddy] production will be higher this year than the target. So, famine will not happen in the country, saying they are receiving news of bumper yield of aman from across the country. Despite the adverse weather, aman production has exceeded our target.
He said there were some low-lying areas where people couldn't cultivate paddy as those lands would remain underwater. But this year, farmers got the opportunity to plant paddy saplings in those areas thanks to the low rainfall.
Abdur Razzaque said different institutions, including the United Nations, World Banks, fear that a famine could happen in the world. Keeping the issue in mind, the government is working. The agricultural ministry is also working with utmost sincerity.