<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday reiterated her call to increase food production to save the country from any possible trouble amid the global economic recession due to the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“We have to increase our production and preserve those so that our country must not plunge into any danger,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The premier was speaking at the programme marking the 25th founding anniversary of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU) and inauguration of a Technology Exhibition.</div><div><br></div><div>The programme was held at the Begum Sufia Kamal Auditorium while the PM joined it virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasina said that the world is witnessing an economic recession as an impact of coronavirus and war-related sanctions and counter-sanctions by the US-led Western block and Russia.</div><div><br></div><div>“As a result the prices of food items have soared beyond the purchasing capacity of all. Besides, prices of everything including power, fuel and transportation have been increased,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Talking about the preservation capacity, she said that the government has set up a number of modern silos to stock rice, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>“Such godowns are urgently needed for food items being produced here,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>She told that the government is focusing on the food processing industries in the 100 economic zones that are being set up in different parts of the country by the government.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>