Industries Secretary Md. Obaidur Rahman has announced that the government will take measures to ensure self-sufficiency in salt production while safeguarding the interests of both mill owners and marginal farmers.
He made the remarks on Tuesday morning at the annual review meeting with local salt mill owners, held at the conference room of the Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner’s Office. The event was jointly organized by the district administration and the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC).
Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md. Abdul Mannan presided over the meeting, which was also attended by BSCIC Chairman Md. Saiful Islam, Additional Deputy Commissioner Nizam Uddin Ahmed, and other relevant officials. Senior government officials, representatives from BSCIC, salt mill owners, and leaders of marginal salt farmer associations were also present.
The meeting discussed the current stock of salt, determination of fair market prices, challenges faced by mill owners and marginal farmers, and the overall prospects of the country’s salt industry.
Following the discussion, Industries Secretary Rahman emphasized that the government will not allow the import of edible salt under any pretext, warning that strict action will be taken against such attempts.
He further stated that various recommendations and opinions from stakeholders regarding fair pricing at the field level will be reviewed by the government’s higher authorities to ensure a fair pricing mechanism. Additionally, he mentioned that a salt storage facility will be established in Cox’s Bazar if suitable land becomes available.
