Farmers demand 40pc budget allocation for agriculture, scrapping of US trade deal

The Bangladesh Khet Majur O Krishak Sangathan has demanded that 40 per cent of the national budget's development expenditure be allocated to the agriculture sector. The organisation also called for scrapping the trade agreement signed with the United States during the previous interim government, terming it detrimental to the country's agricultural system.

The demands were raised during a protest rally and procession in Rangpur on Wednesday, June 3, as part of a central programme.

The procession began from the Rangpur Press Club area, paraded through various city streets, and culminated in a rally at the Post Office intersection in Kachari Bazar. A memorandum was later submitted to the Finance Minister through the Deputy Commissioner.

The rally was chaired by the organisation's district convener Anwar Hossain Bablu, with speeches from central convener Ahsanul Arefin Titu, organisers Phulbabu and Auwal, among others.

Bablu said the market for agricultural inputs and crops is now controlled by business syndicates, depriving farmers of fair prices. Farmers are forced to buy inputs such as fertiliser and seeds at high prices while selling their produce at low prices, leading to continuous losses.

He noted that farmers have suffered massive losses in potato, paddy and onion cultivation over the past few years, with floods, droughts and other natural disasters worsening the situation. Several farmers have committed suicide this year due to not receiving fair prices for potatoes and onions.

Central convener Titu said that while the government announces paddy procurement, the benefits are largely enjoyed by mill owners. Due to corruption in food godowns and middlemen, farmers cannot sell paddy directly to the government.

He alleged that although the government set the paddy price at Tk 1,440 per maund, farmers are often forced to sell at Tk 700-800, which is below production costs. He demanded the establishment of government procurement centres in every market to directly purchase 5 lakh tonnes of paddy from farmers.

The leaders also demanded a 120-day employment programme at Tk 700 per day, a monthly allowance of Tk 5,000 for elderly farm workers, and ration facilities at army rates. They stressed that protecting farmers and farm workers and ensuring food security require 40 per cent of development expenditure in the national budget allocated to agriculture, along with scrapping the trade agreement with the US.