Prime Minister’s Adviser on Education and Primary and Mass Education Mahdi Amin on Saturday said that the government plans to gradually bring all primary school students under a mid-day meal programme to ensure improved nutrition.
“Nearly two crore primary students would be provided with quality tiffin in phases,” he said.
Mahdi Amin made the remarks while addressing a roundtable titled “From Genome to Bioeconomy: Enhancing Bangladesh’s Biotechnology Capabilities by 2030” at The Business Standard auditorium in Eskaton Garden, Dhaka.
The government is placing importance on the development of standard, nutritious, and non-perishable food using modern technology-based research, he added.
Describing mid-day meals as a major government commitment, he said currently distributed items like butter buns or bananas are prone to quick spoilage.
“We need cost-effective and longer-lasting food solutions to ensure proper nutrition and reduce wastage,” he added.
He also stressed stronger industry-academia collaboration to create jobs in emerging sectors like biotechnology.
He stressed the importance of self-reliance in vaccines for both humans and livestock, reducing import dependency and building a domestic ecosystem.
Mahdi Amin also called for increasing production of crops like beetroot and mustard using modern agricultural technologies to strengthen food security.
Referring to human resources, he said that efforts are underway to transform ‘brain drain’ into ‘brain circulation’ by engaging expatriate researchers through joint initiatives.
He expressed optimism that proper use of biotechnology would help improve livelihoods and ensure public empowerment.
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