400kg wheat seeds, allocated for flood-affected farmers, seized in Kurigram

Local administration has seized 20 sacks full of 400kg of wheat seeds allocated for flood-affected farmers in Raumari upazila of Kurigram.

Roumari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Al Imran seized the seeds from the warehouse of Upazila Agriculture Office when locals informed him about smuggling of the government allocated seeds yesterday afternoon, our Lalmonirhat correspondent reports quoting the UNO.

One Shahin Alam said he and some locals seized a van loaded with 400kg of wheat seeds in 20 bags at the agriculture office around 4:30pm yesterday.

Van driver Abdul Khaleq alleged that Sub-assistant Agriculture Officer Ziaur Rahman tried to take the seeds from locals and offered Tk 5,000.

However, Ziaur Rahman denied the allegation and said that he did not know anything about the seed smuggling.

Roumari Upazila Agriculture Officer Shahriar Hossain said the seized seeds were confiscated and taken to the upazila administration. Legal action will be taken after investigation in this regard, he said.

The seeds were allocated for 8,350 flood-affected farmers in Roumari upazila this year.