Land Minister Mizanur Rahman Minu has called on BRAC to take an active role in restoring the lost glory of Rajshahi’s traditional silk industry. Speaking at the launch of BRAC’s 2025 annual report in Rajshahi on Friday, he said the once-thriving silk sector is now nearly extinct, and BRAC’s organizational capacity and experience could help revive it. The minister expressed hope that BRAC would take responsibility for reintroducing Rajshahi silk to the global market.

He added that Prime Minister Tarek Rahman values BRAC’s work and expects its continued collaboration with the government in health and employment initiatives. Local MP Advocate Shafiqul Haque Milon proposed establishing an agro-based export processing zone and specialized cold storage in the Barind region to boost employment and modernize agriculture. BRAC’s senior director K.A.M. Morshed emphasized that BRAC prioritizes Bangladesh and works independently to meet people’s needs.

According to BRAC, in 2025 it supported over 20,000 ultra-poor families in Rajshahi Division, with significant progress in poverty reduction, health services, and women’s empowerment.