No industries on farmlands: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said her government will not allow anyone to set up industries indiscriminately destroying farmlands and forests.
“Indiscriminate setting up of industries destroying cultivable land and forests won’t be allowed anymore. Industries could be set up on 100 special economic zones (SEZs) being established across the country,” she said.
The prime minister was addressing a discussion marking the 44th founding anniversary of Bangladesh Krishak League, a farmers’ front of the ruling Awami League.
Hasina said the country will surely go for industrialisation, but not at the cost of agriculture. “The way arable land is being destroyed then where the raw materials for the industries will come from, what the industries will produce?” she said.
She added, “Some people purchase land indiscriminately and set up industries. And this is how farmlands and forests are getting affected. To prevent this, we’ve decided to set up SEZs.”
Hasina, who is chief of the ruling Awami League, said if anyone wants to set up an industry he or she must go to these SEZs.
“We’ll provide all sorts of facilities there, but we won’t allow setting up of industries here and there, and then crying for
power and gas supplies,” she said.
Reiterating that the government wants to build the country in a planned manner, the prime minister said, “We want people to come up and invest in
the SEZs.”
Hasina suggested giving ‘extra number’ to the students for receiving practical education on agriculture so none can undermine agriculture work.
“I think the students of schools, colleges and universities should be taken to farmlands for imparting practical education to them on agriculture and if needed. They should be given extra number so that nobody looks down on agriculture work,” she said.