The government's paddy and rice procurement drive is under way in Habiganj. Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder recently inaugurated the drive online. But there are allegations of widespread irregularities in drawing up the lists of farmers who will supply paddy in the district. One person's mobile phone number has been used with another person's name. Those whose numbers were used include salaried employees, labourers and housewives, and the names of a chairman and members also appear.

A large part of the lists is filled with women's names and mobile numbers. Many of the numbers are not in use and many are switched off. The food and agriculture departments are blaming each other.

List number 67 for North-East union of Baniachong upazila carries the name of Mizanur Rahman Khan, the union's chairman. Calling the mobile number next to his name reached Shafiqul Islam, who runs a workshop.

He said: "I am not a farmer and farming is not my occupation. I have never supplied paddy to a government warehouse. How was this possible using my number? Whoever did it has certainly committed corruption. I know nothing about it. Besides, my name is not Mizanur Rahman Khan."

Calling the number next to Sheikh Saifur Rahman, number 55 on the list for South-East union in Baniachong upazila headquarters, reached his son, Sheikh Emdadur Rahman. He said: "I don't know who gave my father's name and my mobile number. Several years ago we supplied paddy to a government warehouse. After that I can't say anything. This time we did not even apply. Someone may have done this to commit corruption."

Calling the mobile number next to Sum Raj Das, number 5 on the list for Bulla union of Lakhai upazila, reached Odri Roy, a draughtsman at Sunamganj municipality. He said: "My home is not in Habiganj. I am a draughtsman at Sunamganj municipality. I know nothing about this. Perhaps there has been a mistake somewhere."

The mobile number next to Abid Mia, number 2 on the list for Karab union, turned out to belong to trolley driver Abul Kalam. He said: "No one in my family is called Abid Mia. Besides, my home is in Lakhai Sadar union. How can I know who gave my mobile number?"

Mizanur Rahman Khan, chairman of Baniachong North-East union parishad for four consecutive terms, said he knew nothing about who made the list or how. "No one contacted us. Besides, I have never in my life supplied paddy to a government warehouse. I don't remember ever giving paddy even by mistake. Such a big forgery really needs to be investigated. The vicious ring must be brought to justice," he said.

District Food Controller (acting) Chai Thowai Prue Marma said: "We have no scope to check the list. The agriculture department knows. Their people work in the field and know who is a farmer and who is not. They will verify it. We only procure paddy according to the list. It is already late. Because of the delay, they may have quickly made the list however they could to meet the target."

But Md Nure Alam Siddiqui, deputy director of the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said the government has opened registration through an app. People register, and then a lottery decides who can supply paddy. This work belongs mainly to the food department, he said: "They motivate different people to meet the target. Field-level food procurement is their job. Because of our wicked mentality, some opportunists take illegal advantage."

He said: "Whatever they say, we will not let anyone take illegal advantage."

Checking the lists for Lakhai, Ajmiriganj and Baniachong upazilas reveals even more alarming evidence of forgery. Most of the lists are filled with women's names, listed variously as small, medium and large farmers, and most of their mobile numbers are switched off or not in use.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.