DISSATISFACTION among the farmers, who are undergoing uncertainty over the fair price of paddy, is brewing up over the farmers’ list in which local influential, politicians and others – those are not real farmers — names appeared. The lists prepared as part of the government initiative to procure 1.5 lakh tonnes of paddy at a fair price directly from marginalized farmers. The Upazila Agricultural Officers in connivance with the local ruling party leaders constituted the lists following the demand from the Food Department. Two such lists were checked by a national daily and found names of some individuals who left farming many years ago or involved in a different profession. So, the purpose of the government’s direct purchase plan from farmers would not serve farmers.
In many areas of the North Bengal districts, farmers did not know that their names were on the list while some others said they have already sold their surplus produce in the local market at lower prices. There are 7.5 lakh Boro farmers in Bogura who produced more than 7.5 lakh tonnes of paddy this season and 93 per cent of that has already been harvested. Of the 1.5 lakh tonnes of paddy the government planned to buy 5,586 tonnes would be from Bogura district and 2,012 tonnes from Rajshahi district. In both districts, the lists of the farmers were not prepared with the name of real farmers who can able to sell their surplus production in this season.
It is alleged that influential locals acquainted with the local representatives are the beneficiaries of the government initiatives. The anomaly over the list of farmers in Bogura and Rajshahi indicates that political elements with the illicit nexus of local elected representatives are mainly responsible for depriving the farmers. The mismanagement over the paddy procurement directly from farmers has backfired and the authorities should fix the problem immediately, warn the officials who made the list and take other necessary actions in this regard.
