BSS, Dhaka:

The government is going to honour 22 persons with “Agriculturally Important Person (AIP)-2021” status for their outstanding contribution to agriculture sector in Bangladesh.

The persons have been selected under five categories and the award will be given under the AIP policy-2019 with a view to recognising individuals and organizations for their contribution to agriculture, fisheries and livestock and forest sectors, according to a recent gazette published by the Agriculture Ministry.

Agriculture Minister Dr M Abdus Shahid will present the award formally at Osmani Memorial auditorium here at 10 am on Sunday as the chief guest.

The programme also will attended by State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury as the special guest.

Noted media personality and private television channel I Managing Director Shaikh Siraj, noted environmentalist and founder of Chattogram-based ‘Tilottoma’ Sahela Abedin and Cooperative entrepreneur Shikha Rani Chakraborty will get the status under the category of government registered farm organizer.

Under agricultural innovations on technology and breed, ACI Agri-business president AKM Faraezul Huq Ansary, entrepreneur of safe vegetable production of Daudkandi in Cumilla MA Matin, M Wali Ullah for farm mechanization and Fakirhat Upazila Chairman Shawpan Kumar Das to be awarded for using organic pesticides.

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 have been selected under the category of agricultural, commercial farming and agricultural processing industries.

Two persons will get the AIP under 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 Bangabandhu Gold Agriculture Award recipient category, according to the gazette.

With one-year validity, an AIP will get pass to enter the Bangladesh secretariat, invitation to national ceremonies, priority to air and train tickets and priority to getting cabins in public hospitals for family members.

Earlier, the government had honoured 13 persons with AIP award in 2020 for the first time. The selection for the AIP for 2022 and 2023 is now underway.