Two officials of the Bangladesh Agricultural Vogue Corporation (BADC) were suspended over their alleged involvement in distributing onion seeds with low germination price that triggered hefty losses to farmers, the agriculture ministry acknowledged at present time (9 December).
The officials are Md Mahbubur Rahman, joint director of Seed Laboratory, BADC, Dhaka and convener of Onion Seed Overview Committee; and Shahana Akhter, deputy director of Vegetable Seed Processing Centre, BADC, Dhaka and member secretary of Onion Seed Overview Committee.
“A information file used to be published in the media mentioning that the germination price of onion seeds disbursed in some districts of the country in the most fresh season used to be surprisingly low. The claim has been basically confirmed by the District Agricultural Extension living of job and the Deputy Commissioner’s living of job of the districts concerned,” the agriculture ministry acknowledged in a commentary.
On this incident, the ministry found “negligence, misconduct and inefficiency” on part of the 2 officials in performing their duties, reads the commentary.
Within the same incident, the ministry moreover ordered Md Mostafizur Rahman, contractually appointed member director (Seeds and Horticulture), BADC, Dhaka, to refrain from performing his duties.
Within the file submitted by the seed assessment committee on 7 November 2024, the wintry weather germination price of Tahirpur range of onion seeds bought by BADC used to be shown as 80% and 81%.
Alternatively, the germination price in the farmer’s subject, especially in Faridpur and Rajbari districts, used to be found to be 10% to twenty%. This reveals that the assessment committee’s file used to be now not stunning.
“The ministry will investigate the matter further and steal strict motion in opposition to the officials intriguing and the seed supplying firm,” provides the commentary.
