Bangladesh’s Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Aminur Rashid announced that the country aims to start exporting meat within the next three years. He said the meat will be produced from livestock fed with naturally grown, nutrient-rich grass without any genetic modification. The minister made the statement while addressing the “Australia-Bangladesh Research Showcase” seminar held in Dhaka, jointly organized by the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) and Australia’s Charles Sturt University, with support from the Australian government.

The minister highlighted that safe and nutritional food has become a global priority and that genetically modified food has not yielded the desired benefits. He noted that researchers have developed a Napier grass variety containing 18 percent protein, which is drought-tolerant and cost-effective. This innovation is expected to reduce meat production costs and make meat more affordable for consumers.

Speakers at the seminar emphasized the importance of research, innovation, and international collaboration to build a sustainable and climate-resilient livestock sector. They also discussed strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote environmentally friendly livestock management.