Irregularities have been alleged in government paddy procurement in Nageshwari, Kurigram. A syndicate is accused of leaving out genuine farmers and using the names of destitute, landless people and day labourers to deliver paddy to the government store, pocketing public money while real farmers miss out.

The food and agriculture departments are blaming each other for the irregularities.

In the current Iri-Boro season, Nageshwari has a target of procuring 2,423 tonnes of paddy from 807 genuine farmers at Tk 36,000 a tonne. Applications were taken online.

The syndicate allegedly filed about 1,000 applications using the names of poor, landless people and day labourers, telling them they would receive government allowances and aid. Farmers were then selected by lottery, and more than half the names on the list are of non-farmers.

Many on the list do not know applications were made in their names. Syndicate members opened bank accounts for them, paid them Tk 1,000 to 2,000 and sent them away, then allegedly delivered paddy to the store in their names and withdrew large sums.

Sixteen fake farmers were found in Chhatbari village of Kachakata union. None of them has farmland, yet on government records they are farmers who delivered paddy to the food store and drew money through the bank.

The victims say a local man, Dulal Mia, took them to the bank promising farmer cards, widow cards, VGD cards and other aid, opened accounts and took their signatures on blank cheques, then gave each of them Tk 1,000 to 2,000.

Navjan Bewa said her husband died three years ago and she has no land except her 15-decimal homestead; she lives by working in other people's houses. Dulal took her to the bank saying she would get a widow's allowance, took two cheque leaves and gave her Tk 1,500 in two instalments.

Asiya said: "They took my signature at the bank and sent me out to chew paan. Then they withdrew the money with the cheque. They came home and gave me Tk 1,000."

Golbhan Begum said Dulal and another man took her photo and ID card, saying it was for a farmer card, and entered her name on a computer, then took her to the bank. "I don't know what they did. Dulal and the bank manager know. Later they gave me Tk 1,500," she said.

Local farmer Abdur Rahman said he grows 300 to 400 maunds of paddy a year but has never been able to sell to the government store. He alleged the syndicate is taking lakhs of taka of public money by using poor people's names instead of genuine farmers.

The accused, Dulal Mia, admitted the allegations. He said that not only in Kachakata but in every union of Nageshwari, no farmer had delivered paddy; they sell to paddy traders. He claimed he had taken no money and had only followed the orders of influential "big brothers".

Nageshwari upazila food controller Kawsar Habib denied the allegations, saying no such thing had happened and farmers had been chosen by lottery from the list supplied by the agriculture department.

Upazila agriculture officer Shahriar Hossain said it is not possible to verify applicants in a short time. Even if non-farmers' names are on the list, they cannot deliver paddy; the rule is to cancel such names and hold the lottery again. But the food department did not coordinate with the agriculture department, and it does not know from whom the food department is buying paddy, he said.

According to the upazila food department, paddy worth Tk 8.7228 crore will be procured this season, and procurement will continue until 31 August.

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