Her suggestions came when the newly elected leaders of Bangladesh Agriculture University Teachers Association called on her at the PMO.

She said that the agriculture is dependent on nature and asked the agriculture scientists to carry out effective research to find ways to help the agriculture cope with any adverse condition of nature.

She asked them to diversify crops and develop new variety of agricultural products including onion, garlic, ginger and edible oil suitable for cultivation in various areas to make the country self-reliant on these crops.

Khaleda said that it would not suffice to increase the agricultural crops but would have to enhance production of fisheries, poultry and dairy products.

She also suggested them continue research to help people change their food habit by maintaining the nutritional contents of food.

She said that universities would not only raise skilled human resources but also have to raise skilled teachers so that other educational institutions could get good teaching staff for imparting knowledge.

Khaleda underscored the need for adopting common high-standard education in both public and private universities.

She said that steps should be taken to ensure that there would not be any shortage of skilled teachers in higher education.

The leaders told the prime minister that the introduction of semester system in the university had enhanced an increased attendance of students in classes, improved the results in examinations and also standard of education.

They said that the university was unable to reach its research findings to the farmers.

In this regard, Khaleda asked to education minister to take initiative with the help of the agriculture ministry so that the results and technology of research works could reach the farmers in a mechanism different from other research institutes of agriculture ministry.

Khaleda asked the education ministry to take steps to help continue research works.

She said that many teachers of public universities were engaged in teaching in different private universities which might hamper normal academic activities in public universities.

Education Minister Dr Osman Farooq, Vice Chancellor Prof Amirul Islam, President of Agriculture University Teachers Association Dr M Shahidul Huq, and General Secretary Dr Morshed Alam were present.