DHAKA: Finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith announced a program setting a target of producing 50 percent of required baby food and reducing the shortage of meat and milk productions in the country within three years.

He made the announcement at a fair titling, ‘Fisheries and Pet Animals Fair’ held at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in city on Thursday (February 18).

‘In next three years, it is possible to bring about a revolutionary change in increasing animal resources and producing meat and milk,’ Muhith added.

On the other hand, the minister also blamed fisheries and livestock ministry behind the lack of growth of fisheries and livestock.

State Minister of fisheries and livestock Narayan Chandra and ministry secretary M Maksudul Hasan were present during the time.

The finance minister further said, “We only produce 20% milk of total national need. We also consume very less amount of meat and fish compared than many countries”.

“We import 50,000 tons of powder-milk. We can produce milk domestically. And that is possible only by upbringing cow,” he went on.

The finance minister asked fisheries and livestock minister to take venture of developing in fisheries and livestock. He also assured of assisting them in this effort.

FBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmed and Dr. M Nazrul Islam of Animal Health Companies and Associations of Bangladesh delivered speeches, among others in the inauguration ceremony of the fair.

The three-day fair will remain from 10:00am to 8:00pm everyday.

This year, 55 institutions of national and international background installed their stalls.

BDST: 1830 HRS, FEB 18, 2016
AS/RS/RR