Farmers deprived of critical services as protests plough thru agri offices

Highlights:

• Agri offices fertilisers, seeds, incentives
• Officers provide guidance on disease control 
• Agitating staff say they were denied promotions
• They also action against corrupt officials
• Agri secy, DAE DG already been replaced
• New secy says efforts underway to resolve crisis

Farmers are being denied essential services, including the distribution of fertilisers, seeds, incentives, and crucial disease control guidance, due to ongoing protests and strikes by officials and researchers at government agricultural offices.

A segment of the staff at these offices — involved in distributing fertilisers, seeds, incentives, and providing critical guidance on disease control — have been on strike after the fall of the Sheikh Haisna government on 5 August. 

The agitating staff allege the previous administration denied them promotions and positions and are calling on the new interim government to address these grievances. They also want action against corrupt officials.

Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian, the newly appointed agriculture secretary, told TBS that the current crisis is a natural outcome of the recent political changes. He assured that efforts are underway to resolve the issue quickly and restore normalcy to the organisations.

With over 24,000 officers and employees across the country, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) handles various tasks including input distribution and technology management at the upazila and union levels. 

However, their work has halted due to ongoing protests and the disruption is affecting the distribution and supply of fertilisers and pesticides, which is crucial for the ongoing Aman rice planting season. 

Following the fall of the previous government, DAE Director General Badal Chandra Biswas resigned, but protests continued. Demonstrators are demanding the removal of long-serving staff and the reappointment of underprivileged employees.

During a visit to DAE head office at Khamarbari in Dhaka yesterday, it was observed some staff had halted all official work and were staging a sit-in to press their demands. They said their protests would continue until long-serving privileged groups are removed and underprivileged staff have their positions reassessed. 

Amid the recent student protests that toppled the Hasina government, many officials who had marched against the students under the leadership of former agriculture secretary Wahida Akhtar were forcibly removed from their rooms. 

Meanwhile, Wahida Akter’s husband, Sheikh Mohammad Bakhtiar, was the chairman of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC). The new interim government has cancelled their contracts, but the institution remains unstable due to the lack of a new chairman. 

The crisis has significantly worsened at the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI). Director General Shahjahan Kabir submitted his resignation on 8 August. However, he claims he was forced to sign the resignation letter. Sources said he is now negotiating with the ministry to withdraw his resignation.

In Gazipur, the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), which conducts research on vegetables, fruits, and crops, is also facing turmoil. 

Since the fall of the previous government, BARI Director General Debasish Sarker has been in hiding. BARI staff are staging protests almost everyday demanding his removal due to allegations of misconduct and corruption. 

Instability is also impacting other institutions, such as the Bangladesh Jute Research Institute, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, and the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture. Many senior officials are evading the protesters’ pressure.

Amid this situation, the Ministry of Agriculture has yet to take significant action. Md Tajul Islam Patwary was appointed as the new director general of the DAE on Monday, while Emdad Ullah Mian was appointed as the new agriculture secretary on Sunday.