Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder spoke at the inaugural ceremony of the Boro paddy collection drive at Ujanigaon Food Godown in Shantiganj today. Photo : BSS

SUNAMGANJ, April 24, 2025 (BSS) - Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder today stated that the government is purchasing paddy at Tk 4 more per kilogram than last year with the aim of safeguarding farmers' interests.

"If farmers are not paid fair prices for their labour and sweat or if their labour cannot be respected, farmers will lose their interest in agricultural work," he told a farmers' gathering.

Ali Imam, also an adviser to the Ministry of Land, was speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the Boro paddy collection drive at Ujanigaon Food Godown in Shantiganj upazila of Sunamganj district.

Congratulating the farmers and agricultural officials for their frantic efforts for ensuring a good yield of Boro paddy in Sunamganj, the adviser advised farmers that they should bring the paddy in a husked state so that it does not get damaged if kept in the godown.

"If the paddy gets damaged in the warehouse, it is a loss to the nation and the countrymen also," he added.

About the possibility of middlemen's intervention in the procurement process, the adviser said that middlemen did not get any opportunity during the Aman procurement, expressing hope that they would not get any chance to manipulate the Boro procurement also.

Mentioning that the government's paddy and rice holding capacity across the country is 22 lakh metric tonnes, he said the government keeps about 4 lakh metric tonnes in stock to meet the food shortage.

Regarding rice procurement, he stated that both boiled and atap rice will be procured during the drive. 

The adviser also said the ministry is working so that landowners can easily pay land taxes.

Later, Advisor Ali Imam Majumdar witnessed the harvesting of paddy with a combine harvester in the Deran Haor.

Sunamganj Deputy Commissioner Dr Mohammad Elias Mia presided over the inaugural ceremony, which was also addressed by Sylhet Division Food Controller SM Saiful Islam, Sunamganj Agricultural Extension Department Acting Deputy Director Mostafa Iqbal Azad, and farmers Baran Chakraborty and Prabodh Mohan Das.