PM announces Tk 5000cr stimulus package for farmers

On Sunday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced a new Tk 5,000 crore stimulus package to provide financial support to small and medium-sized farmers in rural areas to boost agricultural production facing the Covid-19 fallout.

"The Bank of Bangladesh will devise a new Tk 5,000 crore refinancing scheme to inject running capital into the agricultural sector. We will only build this Tk 5,000 Crore stimulus package for the farming sector. At just 5 per cent interest, we will disburse money from this fund to farmers, "she said.

The Prime Minister said this while delivering her introductory speech in a videoconference from her official residence Ganobhaban with government officials from 16 districts under Khulna and Barishal divisions.

The money from this fund will be disbursed among small and medium farmers, including that of poultry and dairy sector, in rural areas, she said.

On April 7 last, the Prime Minister held a videoconference with government officials from 15 districts under Chittagong and Sylhet divisions to discuss the present COVID-19 there.