The government has approved a two-year, 528 crore taka agricultural mechanization project aimed at making the country’s farming sector more modern and technology-driven. Approved recently at an ECNEC meeting, the project will establish 60 “mechanized hubs” in 60 upazilas. According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, implementation in the field will begin once the DPP is formally signed, while procurement and related work must be completed by next June.

The government-funded project will purchase 2,174 modern agricultural machines, including combine harvesters, rice transplanters, reapers and other equipment used in rice cultivation and crop harvesting. The machinery will be sourced from five countries, including Japan, Vietnam and China. Making the equipment accessible to farmers, lowering production costs and raising agricultural productivity are among the project’s stated objectives.

The hubs will provide machinery demonstrations, operation and maintenance training, and technical assistance to farmers. Local youths and farmers will receive practical training to become operators and mechanics, with plans for local servicing systems. A national agricultural machinery workshop will be built in Gazipur using government land and existing training infrastructure. Allegations involving administrative discipline and internal coordination are under higher-level review, though project authorities say work will move forward quickly within the set timeframe.