Pandemic supplies: 135 sacks of govt Aush seeds, fertilisers seized in Naogaon

Local authorities seized 135 sacks of Aush seed and fertilisers from an empty house in Manda upazila of Naogaon district on Thursday after these were distributed under the government pandemic grants for agriculture.

The seized items include 663 kilogrammes of Aush seed, 1,150 kg of MOP and 2,300 kg of DAP fertilisers, found packed in 135 sacks at the house, reports our Rajshahi staff correspondent.

The seizure took place as these agricultural goods, meant for farmers' use were illegally stored there for black marketing, Abdul Halim, upazila nirbahi officer, said.

He said a case has been filed against two persons -- the house owner and the upazila Swechchashebak League Organising Secretary Mahmudul Haque and local Tentulia union parishad member Ataur Rahman -- in this connection.

The upazila agricultural officer Shaila Sharmin filed the case with Manda Police Station.

When contacted, Sharmin said the government allocated eight tonnes of Aush seed, 16 tonnes of MOP and 32 tonnes of DAP fertiliser for distribution among 1,600 farmers of the upazila under the grants programme during the Aush season.

Beginning from April 20, the allocation was distributed among 880 farmers till Thursday.

During Thursday's distribution, a caller informed the agricultural officer about the illegal storage of agricultural inputs.

Later the upazila's government officials and police, led by the UNO, raided the house.

When contacted, UP member Ataur Rahman told The Daily Star that he bought agricultural input cards from some farmers at the direction of the local UP chairman.

Later, he sent his men to collect the shares under the cards from the government distribution point, he said.

The UP chairman was not at his home, and his phone was found switched off when The Daily Star tried to reach him for comments.