Prime Minister Calls on Bangladeshis To Cultivate Land

According to the Prime Minister, irrespective of the fact that famine may hit the world hard, Bangladesh would not be affected if people join hands to produce food.

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Hasina called upon the Bangladeshi people to "not waste food and increase food production. Put every inch of land under cultivation. Protect Bangladesh from possible famine and food deficit situations."
   
The Prime Minister's comments come against a complex global backdrop of record commodity prices as Dhaka faces a decline in its foreign exchange reserves. 

Hasina acknowledged the government's efforts to ensure the supply of food grains, as it has been sourcing rice and wheat from the world market.

In this regard, the struggle of African and Asian countries to obtain foreign exchange for paying food imports stands out in a world trade dominated by the U.S. dollar. 

Bangladesh is expected to receive 5.5 billion dollars in budget support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. As of October 12, Bangladesh's foreign exchange reserves had fallen to 36.33 billion dollars.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) ranks the country among the 45 facing a food crisis.