Govt harming rice farmers by allowing Indian import

BNP yesterday accused the government of giving undue benefits to pro-Awami League businessmen for importing rice from India, affecting Bangladeshi farmers.

"The government is destroying our peasants, as the prices of [local] rice [varieties] are decreasing due to imported rice from India. A section of businessmen aligned with the ruling party is importing rice from India taking the opportunity of full duty waiver," BNP spokesperson Asaduzzaman Ripon told a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office.

Referring to media reports, Ripon, also international affairs secretary of BNP, said farmers had already expressed frustration at the government's move favouring the import of rice from India.

"Farmers are being discouraged to produce paddy as they are not getting proper prices of their produce," he said, adding that the situation might endanger the country's food security.

The government's claim that the country is self-sufficient in producing rice is a sheer lie, as it is permitting businessmen to import rice from India, the BNP spokesperson said.

He demanded that the government stop "giving all undue benefits to the party-aligned businessmen" and protect the country's farmers.

He also criticised the law enforcers for Sunday's "brutality" on students protesting the molestation of females during Pahela Baishakh celebrations in the capital.