Govt Approves Shariatpur Economic Zone Construction

In Bangladesh, women are increasingly leading a transformation in agriculture, moving from traditional home management roles to managing small and medium-sized commercial farming enterprises. Over the past decade, women's participation in agriculture has surpassed men's, with a 7-percentage-point higher employment rate in this sector, according to official statistics. The Labour Force Survey (LFS) 2022 reveals that 26.2% of women aged 15 and above are involved in agriculture compared to 19.2% of men.

Recent floods in Bangladesh have caused significant agricultural losses estimated at Tk3,346 crore, affecting 1.4 million farmers. The most severe impact was on paddy production, with losses of Tk2,519 crore, and extensive damage to 291,333 hectares of paddy fields and 19,680 hectares of Aman paddy seedbeds.

The ongoing flood in Noakhali has devastated 85,379 fish farms, resulting in losses of approximately Tk 576.50 crore. The affected areas include Noakhali Sadar, Begumganj, Kabirhat, Companiganj, Subarnachar, Chatkhil, and Sonaimuri, with Begumganj and Companiganj being the hardest hit. The flood has impacted thousands of fish farmers, including those who had significant investments and expectations for the season.

Recent floods in Bangladesh are expected to reduce rice acreage and production, particularly affecting Aus and Aman seasons. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts rice acreage will fall to 11.5 million hectares for the 2024-25 marketing year, down 3.4 percent from the previous estimate of 11.9 million hectares. This could lead to a 2.4 percent drop in production to 36.8 million tonnes.

iFarmer, Bangladesh's largest agritech startup, has secured investment from Razor Capital as part of its Series A funding round, underscoring the importance of agritech in the country. This investment aims to enhance iFarmer's role in improving financial inclusion for farmers and expanding its network across Bangladesh’s agriculture value chain.

The advisory council committee on government purchase approved key procurements to address local demand for essential commodities. The Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) was authorized to import 30,000 tonnes of bulk granular urea fertiliser from the UAE at a cost of Tk 1.21 billion and 30,000 tonnes of bagged granular urea fertiliser from a local source for Tk 1.16 billion.