The initiative of irrigation taken during the tenure of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman helped bring additional 9.5 lakh acres of land under irrigation and farming, said a paper presented at an event today.

Due to the steps taken by Bangabandhu in the field of agriculture, the production of aman rice crop increased by 20 percent and the production of aus crops increased by 23 percent in the financial year 1973-74 from the previous year, said Md Shahadat Hossain, president of Bangabandhu Parishad-Chartered Accountants Somonnoy Committee, presenting the paper.

The growth rate of the agricultural sector was very high in the fiscal year 1973-74 which is rare in the history of the country, he said at the seminar organised by Bangabandhu Parishad-Chartered Accountants Somonnoy Committee at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh.

The event was organised marking the 104th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Mentioning various initiatives in banks, financial institutions, economic recovery, communication, electricity and foreign trade, he said the first five-year plan 1973-78 was framed during the time of Bangabandhu with an aim of creating an exploitation-free society.

Deputy Leader of Jatiya Sangsad Matia Chowdhury and President of Bangabandhu Parishad Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique were present at the discussion.