Prime Minister Khaleda Zia yesterday asked the BTV authorities to preserve as national heritage the documents contained in the celluloid depicting Bangladesh history and tradition.

"The documentary films and records that still remained intact have to be preserved with utmost care. From now on no documentary materials should be marred," she told the BTV officials and employees while inaugurating its archives in the afternoon.

Prime Minister Khaleda formally inaugurated the archives of the state-run audiovisual media at its main Bhaban at Rampura in the city.

The BTV went on air nearly four decades ago from the then DIT building, now RAJUK Bhaban, without having any archives in so many years of its journey.

Information Minister Tariqul Islam, Information Secretary Nazmul Alam Siddiqi and DG of BTV Mostafizur Rahman also spoke at the inaugural function in the BTV auditorium.

Ministers, professional personalities, BTV artistes and cultural activists, among others, attended the function.

Addressing the function the Prime Minister categorically said that the Bangladesh Television is a national institution, not any political propaganda machine.

"You all have to attain national perspectives and redesign all the programmes of BTV. As staffs of national broadcasting media you should not carry out your jobs just as routine work," she told the TV rank and file.

Each and every programme must reflect the national tradition, culture and values, keeping in mind that it is not merely an entertainment medium, she said.

The PM said the BTV would have to uphold national identity, maintaining international standards.

The Prime Minister once more asked the national telecasting media to immediately find out the main problems and solution to the impediments to upgrading the standard of its programmes, enhancing credibility to the viewers.

"Why BTV will not be able to present standard programmes, to catch viewers attention and why its news, information, commentary and elucidation will not earn acceptability," she posed the questions to the BTV anchors.

Failing these, she observed, whatever programmes on development, education, information and promotional telecasts are taken would all be meaningless.

"The slogan Bangladesh Television speaks of the country, its soil and people will become useless," she said, putting across the message that there must be a change for the better.

In this context, she told the function that the number of TV viewers in Bangladesh is none too less as well as "we are not lagging far behind in respect of equipment and technology while telecasting experience is not also so poor".

The Prime Minister, however, told them: "I’m not disappointing you. I am telling you to be more sincere and active in your responsibilities."

She expressed her desire that the news and other programmes of BTV would be the model for other private satellite channels.

And she made a mention here that her government opened up the door to satellite sky culture.

STAFF REPORTER

Agriculture Minister MK Anwar yesterday stressed the need for reducing the gap between agricultural scientists and farmers and increasing irrigation coverage for boosting agricultural production.

He was speaking as the chief guest at a discussion on "Challenge in Agriculture in the 21^st century: The Role of BNP" in the BARC auditorium, arranged by Krishibid Institution, Bangladesh, on the occasion of the silver jubilee celebrations of BNP. Executive Chairman of the Board of Investment (BOI) Mahmudur Rahman was the special guest.

Former vice chancellor of Khulna University Prof Golam Ali Faquir, member of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission Md Mahfuzur Rahman, vice chancellor of Sher-e-Bangla Agriculture University Dr AM Faruq, vice chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Agriculture University Dr Abdul Halim Khan and agriculturist MA Samad participated in the discussion.

The minister said the four party alliance government of Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia was giving emphasis on agriculture with a new thrust to the sector. He said the increase in population and decrease in cultivable land were the main challenges in the agricultural sector in the 21^st century.

Aman said the concerted efforts of the government, agricultural scientists, agriculturists and farmers were needed for the development of agriculture.

He said Shaheed president Ziaur Rahman took a unique and pragmatic policy for development of agriculture which the successive governments did not follow. He said president Zia put emphasis on agricultural research as there is no alternative to the development of agriculture sector for the overall development of the country.

The agriculture minister said the contribution of agricultural sector to the national production was still the highest and more than 50 per cent of the total employment was provider by this sector.

Mahmudur Rahman said the greatest challenge in the 21^st century was the increasing of value addition to agricultural products. He urged the agriculturists to involve themselves in agro processing sector on which the government was laying emphasis.

The Executive Chairman of BOI said Shaheed president Zia was the first to show proper respect to the professionals. He said Zia was a technology-oriented politician. BNP had no alternative but to follow the path shown by Shaheed president Zia, he added.

Prof Dr Golam Ali Faquir said 40 per cent peasants were landless while the size of cultivable land was shrinking. He identified mismanagement of market of agricultural products as the greatest hindrance on the way to the development of agriculture sector.

Prof Faquir said the government must ensure fair price of agricultural products to the farmers. He said Shaheed president Zia laid greatest emphasis on agriculture and Begum Zia was working for the development of agriculture following that policy.

Dr MA Faruq stressed need for inventing new technology for increasing food production.

Mahfuzur Rahman said agricultural sector would be adversely affected if subsidy was not given to it following the prescription of the World Bank.

Dr Abdul Halim Khan said Shaheed president Zia motivated the village people to involve themselves in his politics of production.