Lalmonirhat: Experts at a seminar have stressed the importance of choosing nutritious food and cooking practices, advocating for minimal use of cooking oil and the consumption of necessary quantities of starch, protein, and safe foods to promote a healthy nation. They conveyed these points during a seminar titled "Applied Nutrition for Healthy Life," held at the conference room of the Deputy Commissioner in the district town.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Rangpur Regional Station of the Bangladesh Institute of Research and Training on Applied Nutrition (BIRTAN), under the Ministry of Agriculture located at Pirganj, organized the seminar. Lalmonirhat Commissioner H M Rakib Haider attended as the chief guest, with the Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) for Lalmonirhat, Krishibid Dr. Md Saikhul Arefin, presiding over the event.
Lalmonirhat Civil Surgeon Dr. Md Abdul Hakim and District Livestock Officer Dr. Md Jahangir Alam were present as special guests. Senior Scientific Officer at Rangpur Regional Station of BIRTAN at Pirganj, Krishibid Dr. Md Sadequl Islam, served as the resource person, presenting the keynote paper. His presentation focused on enhancing the nutritional levels of the people in Lalmonirhat and Bangladesh, while also discussing BIRTAN's work on applied nutrition.
An open discussion followed, focusing on ensuring access to safe food for the population. The speakers emphasized the need for collective efforts to raise awareness about the benefits of using less edible oil, reducing fried foods in cooking, and ensuring proper intake and preservation of foods to promote applied nutrition and good health.
The speakers commended BIRTAN's initiatives in nutrition security-related training and activities, suggesting that more emphasis should be placed on the processing and preservation of fruits and vegetables. Representatives from various district-level government departments, organizations, NGO executives, journalists, Imams, priests, and teachers attended the seminar.