The Krishak Sangram Parishad (KSP) on Thursday organized a human chain and demonstration in Rangpur city’s Sathmatha area to ensure fair price of paddy.
A group of students of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University arranged another human chain in the college gate area of Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar demanding government immediate initiative of fair price of paddy.
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The farmers have blocked Rangpur-Kurigram highway from 11:00am to 12:00 noon spreading paddy on the highway demanding direct purchases of paddy by the government instead of middlemen based paddy and rice procurement process.
At the time, a protest rally was held on the highway. The convener of KSP Abdus Sattar, the organization’s adviser Palash Kanti Nag, member Abdus Sattar Pramanik, farmer Abu Taleb and Krishak Atoyar Mia, among others, spoke at the rally.
Addressing the rally they said that the cost of production of paddy for every bigha is Tk 9,000 to Tk 10,000 while the farmers are getting only Tk 6,000 to 7,000 by selling the paddy of per bigha.
They alleged that on an average the farmers are losing around Tk 3,000 per bigha. In this circumstance, the farmers of Rongpur area are seriously hard-hit as many farmers took loan from banks and others NGOs for paddy production.
They said because of high wages of workers, farmers cannot afford to harvest the paddy from the land. The farmers are forced to cut their paddy to pay borrowing debt.
SAU Correspondent adds:
A human chain was held in front of the collage gate of Muhammadpur by the students of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University for ensuring fair of paddy. The teachers and students of the university were present at the rally. The students were showing demonstration by throwing paddy on the street.
Humaun Kabir, a MS student was shouted saying that rice is a staple food of Bangladesh. It covers most of the agricultural land and more than 60 per cent farmers are involved on rice production.
He further expressed concern adding that if the greater parts of them are deprived of getting fair price, then the total food production and security may go under threat.
Anisul Rahman, an associate professor of SAU said that the farmers are not getting fair price due to unscrupulous syndicates.
“The farmers need 1.5 kg paddy for production of 1 kg rice, the price of rice is 40 taka per kg where he sell the paddy only 12 taka,” he added.
He further claimed that like the existing crisis of jute production, the rice production will also face same condition, unless the government has taken any proper initiative.
Simul Chandra Sarkar, associate professor of the Department of Agronomy, expressed concern saying that the demonstration is exhibited by the farmers is showing the Menace of the agro sector.
KBM Saiful Islam, chairman of Department of Medicine and Public Health said that the government should ensure highest budget for the farmers.
The human chain was started at 12:00noon and it was continued till 1:00pm.
