2024-03-22 07:38:25
Foreign Minister Dr. World Food Program (WFP) Bangladesh Representative Domenico Scalpelli and United Nations Women’s Bangladesh Representative Gitanjali Singh met Hasan Mahmud.
On Thursday (March 21) afternoon, the foreign minister exchanged views on food management and women’s development during a separate meeting with the representatives of the two organizations at Segunbagicha in the capital.
Hasan Mahmud urged the representatives of the World Food Program to undertake seminars and motivational programs to encourage people to consume crops and food produced in the country and to increase public awareness.
He said that there is no alternative to maximum use of arable land to maintain self-sufficiency in food grains and food security in Bangladesh, which has the highest population density and the lowest per capita land in the world. A lot of land is excluded from cultivation due to ‘al’ being added to the land to mark the ownership. The minister advised WFP to take innovative measures to avoid this loss.
WFP representative Domenico Scalpelli said he would give top priority to both issues. At this time, he presented to the minister the future plans of his organization’s food program at the school level and for the Rohingyas.
The foreign minister praised the school feeding program since 2011 and later WFP’s food assistance program for the Rohingya.
In the meeting with Gitanjali Singh, the External Affairs Minister highlighted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s strong commitment and her government’s achievements in gender equality and women’s empowerment. He also highlighted the remarkable progress Bangladesh has made in empowering women in the political and administrative spheres. The minister praised UN Women for being a trusted partner in this development journey.
Gitanjali Singh assured to increase UN Women’s cooperation with Bangladesh and congratulated the government for fulfilling its promise. He also apprised the Foreign Minister about preparations for celebrating the 30th anniversary of the ‘Beijing Declaration’ and the silver jubilee of the historic Resolution 1325 in 2025.