Newly appointed Food Minister Afroza Khanam has called for visible change in the Ministry of Food's work by increasing transparency, accountability and efficiency. She said it must be ensured that the benefits of government food programmes reach the genuine beneficiaries.

She was speaking on Sunday, 23 August, her first working day at the ministry, at a meeting with senior officials of the ministry and the departments under it.

At the meeting in the ministry's conference room, the new minister was briefed on the ministry's overall activities, ongoing programmes, foodgrain procurement, stock and supply management, and public food distribution. A PowerPoint presentation on the ministry's work and progress was given.

The minister said the food ministry had an important responsibility in ensuring the government's food security. Alongside ensuring people's food security, everyone must play a responsible role in making government food programmes more effective, transparent and people-friendly.

Afroza Khanam said visible change must be brought to the ministry's work. Stressing sincerity, efficiency, dedication and mutual cooperation among officials and staff, she said each person must carry out their duties properly and give the highest priority to people's expectations and needs.

She said that, as well as ensuring transparency and accountability in food management, it must be ensured that the benefits of government food programmes reach the real beneficiaries. Efficiency and discipline must be maintained at every stage of procurement, storage, transport and distribution.

Thanking Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the new minister said the food ministry must play an important role in implementing the prime minister's vision and the government's commitments, and called on officials and staff at all levels to work together in a united, coordinated effort.

"Together we want to bring positive and visible change to the food ministry's work. Transparency, accountability, efficiency and the quality of service must be further improved for the welfare of the people," she said.

Officials welcomed the new minister and assured her of full cooperation in making the ministry's work more dynamic, effective and people-friendly.

Present were State Minister for Food Md Abdul Bari, Food Secretary Abu Taher Md Masud Rana, the director general of the Directorate General of Food, and senior officials of the food ministry, the Directorate General of Food and the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.