From the quiet hum of rural cowsheds to the shelves of urban kitchens, Bangladesh’s dairy farmers remain the unseen backbone of the country’s nutrition economy.
Seeking to bring those stories into the spotlight, the country’s leading liquid milk brand, Pran Milk, has launched an initiative to honour farmers who have made exceptional contributions to the dairy industry.
The ‘Pran Milk Khati Khamari Sammanna 2026’ campaign was inaugurated on Tuesday, January 27, at the MCCI Conference Centre in Police Plaza, Gulshan.
The programme aims to recognise the dedication, resilience and innovation of genuine dairy farmers while encouraging sustainable growth in the sector.
At the inauguration, Pran Milk said the initiative is part of its broader effort to help make Bangladesh self-sufficient in milk production.
By highlighting inspiring success stories from the grassroots, the campaign hopes to motivate more people to engage in dairy farming and strengthen the country’s rural economy.
Registration for the programme will begin on February 1 through 124 Village Milk Collection Centres (VMCCs) of Pran Dairy across the country, including in Pabna, Rangpur, Sirajganj, Bogura, Satkhira, Khulna, Jashore, Magura, Kurigram and Natore. Around 16,000 registered Pran Dairy farmers will be able to submit their information at these centres.
In the second phase, a special jury board comprising representatives from relevant sectors will verify the applications and shortlist 10 ‘Khati Khamari’ or genuine farmers.
In the final phase, three top farmers will be selected based on jury evaluation and consumer voting. The winners will receive a commemorative plaque and a prize of Tk 1 lakh each, while the remaining seven finalists will also be honoured.
Pran Group Managing Director Eleash Mridha unveiled the commemorative plaque of the ‘Pran Milk Pure Farmer Honor 2026’ at the event.
“Our main goal is to honour and inspire genuine farmers who have made special contributions to the dairy industry,” he said. “At the same time, we want to bring their stories to the public so that others are encouraged to take up dairy farming. This initiative also reflects Pran Milk’s commitment to providing safe and quality milk to consumers.”
He emphasised the wider impact of a strong dairy sector. “If we want to change the fate of Bangladesh, we must change the fate of farmers. Increased dairy production will save foreign currency, create employment – especially for women in rural areas – and help address nutritional deficiencies. The development of the dairy industry is, in many ways, a pathway to overall development.”
Maksudur Rahman, Chief Operating Officer of Pran Dairy, said the company has been working alongside dairy farmers for more than two decades, providing fair prices, training, veterinary care and other forms of support.
“Pran Dairy began operations in 2003. In the 1980s and 1990s, most milk was imported. Today, around 60-70 per cent of the country’s milk is produced locally,” he said, adding that full self-sufficiency is now within reach.
He described the honour programme as a tribute to farmers, noting that while it initially focuses on Pran-affiliated farmers, there are plans to expand the recognition to dairy farmers nationwide.
The human impact of such support was reflected in the words of Abu Sayeed, a dairy farm owner from Bogura. “Before Pran set up a collection centre in our area, I sold milk at Tk 36 per litre in the village market,” he said. “Now I get up to Tk 67 per litre and supply 42 litres of milk every day to the Pran Milk Collection Centre. This has improved both my farm’s profitability and my family’s quality of life.”
Senior officials of Pran Group, including Senior General Manager (Marketing) Md Ali Hasan, Pran Dairy Head of Marketing Syed Mustyen Quader and Brand Manager Fazla Alahi Nayem, were also present at the event.