National Citizen Party (NCP) Member Secretary Akhter Hossen MP on Monday said the present government is hurting Bangladesh's farmers, who are suffering from fertiliser shortages and falling prey to syndicates due to politicisation of dealer appointments. 

"Fertiliser shortages in the northern region, allegations of politicisation in dealer appointments, lack of fair prices for farm produce, and extortion and syndicates are deepening the crisis for farmers," Akhter told reporters after paying tribute at the grave of Sher-e-Bangla A K Fazlul Huq on the occasion of his 153rd birth anniversary.

Akhter said farmers are not getting fair prices for their produce on top of the fertiliser crisis. They are forced to sell vegetables cheaply, while consumers in cities then buy the same vegetables at inflated prices.

Citing the example of a bottle gourd sold for Tk 2 in Panchagarh but for Tk 60 in Dhaka, he questioned why farmers should be denied fair prices for their produce.

To protect farmers' interests, he called for ensuring fertiliser supply, stopping extortion and syndicates in markets, building cold storage and grain warehouses, adopting a sympathetic policy on agricultural loans, and increasing government incentives.

Speaking about Sher-e-Bangla, Akhter said that during the Awami League government, the contributions of other national leaders were overshadowed by focusing on a single leader.

The present government, too, is not giving them due importance, he added.

He called for more discussion on the lives, political philosophy and contributions of national leaders in textbooks and the media, so that the new generation learns about them.

Recalling Sher-e-Bangla's pro-farmer politics, the NCP leader said he worked all his life to establish farmers' rights and stood for the unity of Hindu and Muslim farmers, rising above communal divisions.

Akhter said Sher-e-Bangla's pro-farmer ideals should be followed by all political parties in the country.