The government is set to honor 22 individuals with the “Agriculturally Important Person (AIP)-2021” status for their outstanding contributions to the agriculture sector in Bangladesh. These honorees have been selected under five categories and will receive the award according to the AIP policy-2019, which aims to recognize significant contributions to agriculture, fisheries, livestock, and forest sectors, as detailed in a recent gazette published by the Agriculture Ministry.
Agriculture Minister Dr. M Abdus Shahid will present the awards at a formal ceremony at Osmani Memorial Auditorium at 10 am on Sunday. State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury will attend as the special guest.
Noted media personality and private television channel i Managing Director Shykh Siraj, environmentalist and founder of Chittagong-based “Tilottoma” Sahela Abedin, and cooperative entrepreneur Shikha Rani Chakraborty will receive the status under the category of government-registered farm organizers.
Under the agricultural innovations in technology and breed category, ACI Agri-business president AKM Faraezul Huq Ansary, entrepreneur of safe vegetable production in Daudkandi, Cumilla, MA Matin, M Wali Ullah for farm mechanization, and Fakirhat Upazila Chairman Shawpan Kumar Das for using organic pesticides will be awarded.
Recipients under the category of agricultural, commercial farming, and agricultural processing industries include M Sanwar Hossain, Shahida Begum, Sureshwar Mallik, M Ruhul Amin, M Shakawat Hossain, M Amirul Islam, Masudul Huq Chowdhury, M Rafiqul Islam, M Sirajul Islam, and M Hazrat Ali.
Two individuals will receive the AIP status under the category of production of exportable agricultural items.
Organic and vermi-compost producer Ram Nibash Agarwala, commercial dairy farmer Maya Rani Baul, and successful seed producer M Abdul Khaleque have been selected for the AIP under the Bangabandhu Gold Agriculture Award recipient category, according to the gazette.
With one-year validity, an AIP will receive various privileges, including access to the Bangladesh secretariat, invitations to national ceremonies, priority for air and train tickets, and priority in obtaining cabins in public hospitals for family members.
Previously, the government honored 13 individuals with the AIP award in 2020. The selection process for the AIP for 2022 and 2023 is currently underway.
