<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today called upon the country's youth folk to engage in inspiring people to form cooperative for boosting food production and pulling the country ahead further.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Youth folk will have to come forward. We can go a long way if the youths do their activities in bringing village people together as everyone will have the responsibility," she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The premier was addressing a function on the 51st National Cooperatives Day at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) as the chief guest, joining virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">She asked the youth folk not to chase after the job rather to get involved in food production activities such as poultry and fish cultivation by forming cooperatives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Referring to the 100 special economic zones being established by the government, she said, "you (youths) can set up food processing factories there, which will not only meet the local demand but also can help export to abroad."</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sheikh Hasina said she believes that the country could attain desired economic success through cooperatives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">She also urged all to work in combine to overcome the crisis what was created in the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic and Russian-Ukraine war as well as sanctions and counter sanctions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">With State Minister for Rural Development and Cooperative Swapan Bhattacharjee in the chair, Register and Director General of Department of Cooperatives Dr. Tarun Kanti Sikder delivered the welcome address.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Md. Tazul Islam and Rural Development and Co-operative Division Sectary Md. Mashiur Rahman also spoke as special guests.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A total of nine Samobay Samity (cooperative associations) and one person were given National Cooperative Award-2021 on the occasion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On behalf of the prime minister, Md. Tazul Islam handed over the award.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Each awardee was conferred with a gold medal and a certificate.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the outset of the function, a video documentary on the national cooperative day was screened.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The theme of the day is "Bangabandhu's Philosophy, Development of Cooperative". BSS</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>