Unfair act of officials deprives farmers of fair price of wheat
Farmers have been deprived of the 'fair price' fixed by the government as food department of Domar upazila purchased wheat from giant food traders ignoring decision of upazila food purchase committee to procure wheat directly from farmers.
Terming it a gross irregularity, Domar upazila parishad Chairman Abdur Razzak Bosunia, also president of upazila food purchasing committee, and other elected public representatives of the upazila have demanded investigation into the matter.
The monthly meeting of Domar upazila parishad on April 26 decided that the food department of the upazila would purchase newly harvested wheat at government the fixed price directly from farmers so that they could get fair price, said Domar upazila parishad Vice Chairman Abdul Jabbar.
He said the upazila food procurement committee asked all the union parishad (UP) chairmen to issue slips to genuine wheat farmers of their own area so that the food department officials could procure the grain from them at the government rate.
But ignoring the decision, the upazila food department officials procured the total targeted wheat secretly from the big food traders of the upazila on the night of April 28, the upazila vice chairman said.
The authorities set a target to procure 125 tonnes of wheat from Domar upazila under the government's food procurement drive aimed at ensuring fair price to genuine farmers, sources said.
The government rate for a maund (40 kg) of wheat is Tk 780 but in the open markets farmers are compelled to sell it for much lower prices -- from Tk 575 to 625.
"As per government directive, wheat should be procured from the farmers from April 7 to May 7. But Domar upazila controller of food in the monthly meeting of upazila parishad on April 26 hurriedly passed a decision to complete wheat purchase from farmers within April 29," said upazila Chairman Abdur Razzak.
"Farmers have been deprived of fair price as wheat was purchased from big food traders. We informed the local lawmaker of the matter,” he added.
Poor farmers have been deprived due to the intentional favour to big wheat traders, said Domar municipality Mayor Al Azhar Hossain.
He demanded investigation into the matter.
Denying the allegation of corruption or irregularities in purchasing wheat, Domar upazila Controller of Food Abul Kashem told newsmen, "The decision of upazila food purchase committee did not have any word directing purchase of wheat from farmers. Besides, the concerned UP chairmen failed to provide slips of genuine farmers in time."
Upazila Chairman Abdur Razzak refuted the claim of food controller, saying, "The upazila food procurement committee made clear direction to food officials to purchase wheat from farmers. Otherwise, why should the purchase committee direct the concerned UP chairmen to issue slips of genuine farmers?"
When contacted, Domar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abu Raihan Mia said, "The upazila chairman concerned is president of the food purchase committee that is empowered to take proper decision in this regard. We have not yet got any complaint from any corner.”
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