Jhenidah – Wheat procurement drive launched by the government in the district in the current season is being hampered due to mismanagement and corruption allegedly by a section of dishonest food officials, agriculture officers and local musclemen. The government and the poor marginal farmers both have been facing troubles as a result.
A section of food officials, agriculture officers and local musclemen are busy in underhand dealings and a shady deal amounting to Tk 50 lakh has already been finalised between the food officers, fake farmers and and the musclemen, it is alleged.According to Jhenidah food office sources, 2,223 metric tonnes of wheat will be procured in the district this season. Sources also said, in Jhenidah 294 metric tonnes, in Shoilkupa 1,135 metric tonnes, in Moheshpur upazila 250 metric tonnes, in Kaliganj 234 metric tonnes, in Harinakundu 248 metric tonnes and in Kotchandpur 62 metric tonnes will be collected in few day.
Secretary of district Krishak League Ashraful Islam alleged to that some food officers, local chairmen and fake farmers made a syndicate and they are selling a slip against per ton wheat at the rate of taka 2,000. The government and recognised farmers are both facing loss by the illegal activates of the said syndicate.
He alleged that government can not stop it because ghost is in the crops. The syndicate is doing business of at least 46 lakh taka in this wheat procurement season. Some market monitoring experts said, wheat procurement process would not end in the scheduled time while a large number of marginal farmers in Jhenidah will incur loss again this year.
Jhenidah Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Julkar Niyon said already cases of misappropriation have been reported, “../after proper investigation we will take action against the culprits. We will form a transparent committee to recognise true wheat farmers”, he said.
The Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Jhenidah Md. Shafiqul Islam said to the correspondent that the district administration has not left any space for the third party in procurement process but he apprehended some problems in the procurement process.
He said that, according to the government’s announcement this year, the district food office will procure wheat at Tk 27
per kilogram, as against the present the market price of rice is Tk 23 per kg. Marginal farmers will be happy to get Tk 27 for a kilogram of wheat and gain Tk 4 profit per kg this season is the process remains fair and activities of the syndicate is kept in check. – Shahneawz Khan Sumon
