Dhaka: Speakers at a seminar here on Sunday stressed the need for rapid development of the country’s livestock sector aiming to eliminate poverty and address the widespread problems of malnutrition.  

They said the country’s livestock sector can play a strong role as about 26 percent people still live under the poverty line and 12 percent of them are extreme poor while 17 percent suffer from malnutrition.  

Bonikbarta, a vernacular business daily, and ACI Limited jointly organised the seminar at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.  

Speaking as the chief guest, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said the government gives emphasis on the livestock sector to boost its production and thus address poverty and increase the country’s GDP growth.

The government has already taken nine projects on livestock sector, he said, adding that it cannot address all the problems. ‘So, huge investment is needed to come from public-private partnership (PPP) in this regard.’

Former director general of the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) Dr Kazi Abdul Fattah said skilled staff must be recruited in the department to advance it apart from addressing manpower crisis.  

Prof Dr AK Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan and Prof Mossarraf Hossain Bhuiyan of Bangladesh Agriculture University, former director general of DSL Dr Mohammad Saleh Khan, chief scientific officer of Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute Dr Mohammad Giasuddin and ACI executive director Dr Ansari, among others, spoke at the seminar.