Moin Mahmud : Although Bangladesh has achieved self-sufficiency in food production, it still lags behind in ensuring nutritional security. In the 2026 Global Hunger Index, Bangladesh ranks 84th out of 122 countries. Meanwhile, long-term reliance on chemical fertilizers has led to a decline in soil fertility. Given this situation, experts and policymakers have called for coordinated efforts—including the provision of subsidies for the production and use of organic fertilizers—to protect soil health, produce nutrient-rich food, and establish a sustainable agricultural system.

On November 2, a roundtable discussion titled "Promoting and Subsidizing the Production of Organic Fertilizers for Healthy Soil, Crops, and the Environment" was held at the CIRDAP auditorium in the capital. The event was jointly organized by 20 national and international development organizations—including ActionAid Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI)—along with five universities.

Dr. M. Abdus Salam, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, served as the chief guest for the first technical session. He discussed the registration process for organic fertilizer entrepreneurs and sought input from relevant stakeholders on how to simplify these procedures.
Member of Parliament Mosammat Sabira Sultana, who is also a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Agriculture, attended the meeting as a guest of honor.
She remarked, "Maintaining soil health is essential for the production of nutrient-rich crops."
Md. Anwar Faruque, a director at the Bangladesh Krishi Bank, served as the chief guest for the second technical session.
He stated, "There is no alternative to natural methods for ensuring a sustainable agricultural system. However, delivering accurate, scientific information to farmers in a timely manner remains a significant challenge."
In her concluding remarks for the first segment, Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh, emphasized the need for coordinated initiatives to regulate the quality of organic fertilizers, address irregularities in marketing, and reduce the administrative complexities faced by entrepreneurs. The second session of the meeting was chaired by Dr. Abdul Karim, a professor at the International University of Business, Agriculture and Technology.
In the morning session, a paper was presented by Dr. M. Nazimuddin, a senior scientific officer at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI). In the second session, a paper was presented by Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman, a professor in the Department of Soil Science at the agricultural university in Gazipur and Director of the Institute of Climate Change and Environment.