Industrial Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan stated that the government is committed to safeguarding the interests of salt farmers, enhancing production, and achieving self-sufficiency in the salt industry.
Khan made the remarks on Friday morning during a stakeholder meeting at the Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner’s office. Later, he visited salt fields and the proposed site for the Salt Research Institute at Choufaldandi in the Sadar Upazila.
During his visit, local salt farmers expressed their concerns about issues such as unfair pricing, the dominance of middlemen, and the lack of access to khas land for cultivation.
Adilur Rahman assured the farmers that the government is working on pilot projects to improve salt production and quality.
He confirmed the construction of a Salt Research Institute at Choufaldandi to tackle these challenges. The government is also formulating policies to ensure fair prices for farmers, including establishing a Salt Board.
Highlighting record-breaking salt production over the past 63 years, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Industries Zakia Sultana emphasized that pilot projects would enhance manufacturing and quality and secure fair prices for farmers.
The Deputy Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar, Mohammad Salahuddin, superintendent of Police Muhammad Rahmat Ullah, and BSCIC Cox’s Bazar Regional Office Deputy General Manager Md. Zafar Iqbal was present during the visit.
BSCIC officials plan to build the Salt Research Institute on 30 acres of land in Choufaldandi, with an estimated budget of Tk154 crore. The proposal is currently under review by the Ministry of Finance.
The Salt Industry Development Office is also implementing a pilot project in Choufaldandi, utilizing advanced salt cultivation techniques from India, China, and Japan.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report/Rajin Saleh
Photo: Courtesy
