BNP MP receives farming incentive cheque from PM

Party says he qualifies as farmer; Abu Sayeed cites family tradition

Rajshahi-6 BNP lawmaker Abu Sayeed Chand was among 15 sugarcane farmers who received government incentive cheques from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at a rally in Rajshahi on Tuesday, receiving Tk 12,500.

The prime minister launched a Tk 12 crore incentive programme for 38,970 sugarcane farmers at Haji Muhammad Mohsin Government High School Ground.

Masuma Akter Jahan, managing director of Rajshahi Sugar Mills Ltd, said farmers were selected based on the amount of companion crops, locally known as “sathi foshol”, they grew alongside sugarcane. Those growing more companion crops were given priority, she said.

Contacted yesterday, Syed Shaheen Shawkat, BNP’s Rajshahi division organising secretary, said Sayeed qualified as a registered sugarcane farmer, despite also being an MP. 

“There is no reason to view his receiving the incentive negatively, as the scheme covers farmers who met the eligibility criteria,” he added.

Shawkat said the initiative aimed to utilise the otherwise vacant land between rows of sugarcane by growing additional crops, including pulses, cabbage, potatoes, onions, ginger and garlic.

As sugarcane takes a long time to mature, farmers can grow short-duration crops in the intervening spaces and harvest two to three additional crops a year, boosting both their income and the supply of vegetables and spices, he said. 

The unused land between sugarcane rows nationwide could amount to several hundred thousand acres, he added.

At Tuesday’s event, 15 farmers were called onstage to receive cheques one by one after the prime minister inaugurated the digital disbursement process. 

Sayeed, identified as a sugarcane farmer supplying Rajshahi Sugar Mills, was the first to receive a cheque, Shawkat said.

The Daily Star could not reach Sayeed for comment despite repeated phone calls.

In a Facebook post, Sayeed said sugarcane cultivation and supply had been a family tradition spanning generations, from his grandfather and father to himself. 

He also said he had personally supplied hundreds of truckloads of sugarcane to Rajshahi Sugar Mills and would continue to do so.

He added that the mill authorities had the relevant records and documents to verify his claims.