The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Dr. Qu Dongyu, has assured continued support for the development of Bangladesh’s deep-sea fishing industry and the expansion of agricultural exports, particularly fruits.
The assurance came during a bilateral meeting with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Monday (Rome time) at FAO headquarters in Rome, held on the occasion of the World Food Forum and the 80th anniversary of the organization.
At the outset of the meeting, Dr. Qu warmly welcomed Professor Yunus and praised his significant contributions to agricultural and rural development in Bangladesh.
Describing Bangladesh as a “high-achieving country,” the FAO Director-General reaffirmed that the organization would continue to support Bangladesh through technical assistance, innovation, and South-South and triangular cooperation. “We will continue to assist you,” Dr. Qu stated.
Expressing gratitude for FAO’s long-standing partnership, Professor Yunus sought cooperation in three new areas—enhancing capacity for deep-sea fishing and fish processing, improving preservation and processing to expand fruit exports, and strengthening post-harvest management, including the establishment of affordable and portable cold storage systems.
Professor Yunus remarked, “We have an entire sea, but we fish only in shallow waters. We have never fully utilized our marine resources. Foreign trawlers catch fish in our waters while we remain underprepared.”
In response, Dr. Qu suggested that Bangladesh invite Chinese experts to assess deep-sea fish stocks and develop sustainable harvesting strategies.
Highlighting the vast potential of Bangladesh’s fruit exports, Professor Yunus mentioned that China has already expressed interest in importing mangoes, jackfruits, and guavas from Bangladesh. He emphasized the need for mobile cold storage designs to help small farmers reduce post-harvest losses.
Dr. Qu noted that cultivating high-value cash fruits is vital for the agricultural sector, recalling that China achieved significant agricultural growth in the 1980s through fruit exports to Japan.
Looking ahead, Dr. Qu mentioned that 2026 will mark the 20th anniversary of Professor Muhammad Yunus receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. “We will celebrate that,” he said, praising Professor Yunus’s leadership as Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government.
The meeting was attended by Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhtar, Principal Coordinator for SDGs Lamia Morshed, and Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam.
