(BSS) – The Adviser to the Ministry of Agriculture Lt. Gen. Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Rtd.) today said that a law to protect the country’s agricultural land from illegal occupants would be enacted soon.

“The size of agricultural land in the country is decreasing gradually due to illegal occupation”, he said while talking to media following his visit to the Bangladesh Institute of Research and Training on Applied Nutrition (BIRTAN) in Bishnandi area of Araihazar here today.

In this connection, he said that the government had directed the district administration to remove unauthorized billboards placed on agricultural land under the guise of housing projects.

Referring to this year’s bumper Boro production, he said, “Rice production has exceeded the demand by 1.5 million tonnes, and therefore, there will be no need to import rice from abroad.”

After visiting the sites of BIRTAN projects, the minister planted a sapling at the institute premises.

BIRTAN Director Rehena Akter, Narayanganj Deputy Commissioner Jahidul Islam Mia and District Superintendent of Police Pratyush Kumar Majumdar, among others, accompanied the adviser during his visit.

Earlier, the agriculture minister, who is also in-charge of the ministry of home affairs, visited the temporary office building of Araihazar police station and enquired about the overall law and order situation of the district.