No bribe, no agri loan now Rakub rule, allege farmers

A section of Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (Rakub) officials is allegedly taking bribes in return for agricultural loans to the farmers throughout the district.
Information on corruption in the Rakub started to emerge when on April 3 Khoyer Uddin, 45, a farmer from Dakkhin Sindurna of Hatibandha upazila died of a massive heart attack inside the bank after he was informed by officials that his agricultural loan of Tk 70,000 was already withdrawn from his account.
Fazlul Haque, the branch manager of Hatibandha town branch told this correspondent that they gave Khoyer Uddin's loan money to Zohir Uddin, a broker and a guarantor to the loan application. Asked, who  gave him the authority to do so, the bank manager refused to reply. Sources said that the supervisor of the branch, Abdur Rahman, was also involved in the scam.
The death of the poor farmer has angered the entire community of farmers in the area.
Now the bank officials have involved the local political leaders and public representatives to settle the matter in order to avoid police involvement. Sources said that the officials have paid an unspecified amount of money to the leaders to prevent the family of the farmer from lodging complaint with police.
Whenever a farmer approaches Rakub he is confronted by a middleman assigned by the bank officials. The rate of bribe is pre-fixed. For every thousand Taka of loan the farmer has to pay a 'commission' of Tk 150-200, farmers alleged.
Mobarak Hossain, a farmer from Goddimari village said that the bank officials give agricultural loans only to those who can offer handsome commission to them.
Mozammel Haque, a farmer from Patikapara village said that he had applied for a loan of Tk 50,000 two months ago at Rakub Hatibandha branch but the bank was yet to disburse it.
“My fault is that I did not pay any commission to the bank officials", said Mozammel.
Romesh Chandra Roy, Mazibur Rahman, Taher Ali, and many others from different villages of Hatibandha upazila expressed similar grievances as they were yet to get loans from Rakub ahead of boro cultivation.
Atoar Rahman, a farmer from Paruliya alleged that he had to pay a commission of Tk 5,000 for his loan of Tk 30 thousand.
Similar situation is quite common at all branches of Rakub in five upazilas of the district.
Meher Ali, a farmer of Gokunda in Sadar upazila alleged that he got a loan of Tk 20,000 more than two months after applying at Teesta branch of the bank.
“The branch manager and supervisor took Tk 2,000 against the loan amount through their assigned middleman Motiar Miah,” he said.
Asgor Ali, a farmer from Chandrapur village in Kaliganj upazila alleged that he filled up an application form for a loan of Tk 50,000 at Chaparhat branch of the bank two months ago.
“As I refused to pay the commission, the branch manager and the supervisor did not sanction the loan,” Asgor said.
President of Ekota Krishak Samity at Dowani village in Hatibandha upazila Mofizul Islam, 56, alleged that the lists given by the block supervisors of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) are not being followed while disbursing loan at all the branches.
“Anybody can get loan if he bribes the bank officials even if he is not a farmer,” Islam said, adding that the middlemen are also extracting money from loan-seekers in the name of 'managing' bank officials.
Lalmonirhat District Zonal Manager of Rakub, Shamsur Rahman admitted that some unscrupulous bank officials secretly engage middlemen, who ensure the commission from the loan seekers.
“I am struggling alone to remove this corruption. I have already started an investigation into the death of the farmer,” Rahman added.
Lalmonirhat Deputy Commissioner (DC), Habibur Rahman said he had already wrote to the higher authorities for necessary steps against the corrupt bank officials who are responsible for the death of  farmer Khoyer Uddin.