A public hearing has organized by LEDARS in the auditorium of Shyamnagar Upazila Parishad, with the help of Food Security Network (KHANI). Hundreds of farmers present at the public hearing from different areas of the upazila. Upazila Agriculture Officer Abul Hossain Miah, Upazila Secondary Education Officer Abul Kalam Rafiquzzaman, Chairman of National Women’s Association Ms. Shahana Hamid and Head Teacher Azharul Islam spoke as special guests in the public hearing along with different witness. The event was presided over by Executive Board Member of LEDARS and freedom fighter Master Nazrul Islam and moderated by journalist Ranajit Barman. Mr. Mohan Kumar Mondal, Executive Director of LEDARS, delivered the inaugural speech on the event.
According to the constitution the food is basic needs of the people. Although the food security of the current population is a big challenge, but the government of Bangladesh is dealing with it efficiently. Bangladesh is in self dependent to produce food grains. In order to ensure safe food, the government of Bangladesh recently made safe food regulations. Recently, the Law Commission drafted the Food Security Act. But there is no such initiative yet to ensure access to food. State is responsible to ensure food for all people as per basic need of low middle-income country. Recently, the Honorable Prime Minister made her government’s commitment to establish food rights at the South Asian Food Rights Conference (2015). In this context food security network (KHANI) is celebrating the Right to Food Week, in order to demand food rights law across the country. A public hearing was held in the auditorium of Shyamnagar Upazila of Satkhira on 17 December 2017, to demand the Food Rights Law. Farmer, agricultural labor, tiger widows from different areas of Shyamnagar highlighted the scarcity of food and demanded the food rights.
Mr. S.M. Jaglul Haider, honorable MP of Satkhira-4 constituency spoke as the chief guest at the public hearing. In the speech of chief guest, he highlighted the present government action and program for the betterment of farmers. He also mentioned that the salt-tolerant rice varieties have been developed and new technologies for agriculture have been introduced among farmers. He has made his commitment to bring forward food crisis of coastal people and propound a Food Law in the parliament.
