Staff Correspondent

A human chain was formed in front of the National Press Club on Thursday at the initiative of the Chashi Mazdur Sangram Parishad to implement three points in protest of the rise in commodity prices and the continuous fall in potato prices.

Farmers' rights activist Shamiul Alam Rasu spoke as the chief guest with farmer Masum in the chair.

The main discussant was Sheikh Nasir Uddin, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Bhumihin Andolon Central Committee, Lalmonirhat farmer leader Md. Ashraful Alam, Bhashani follower farmer Syed Mokhlesur Rahman, Shamsuddin Ahmed Rakib and others spoke.

Speaking at the human chain, Shamiul Alam Rasu said, different political parties/organizations have divided the farmers into different parts by organizing different parts of the farmers and dividing them into different sections, so that they cannot unite themselves. Due to this division, the farmers cannot realize their basic rights.

The suffering of the marginalized farmers has been there since birth. In the name of solution, everyone has done politics, come to power, made their own policies but have not done anything for the marginalized farmers. I appeal to all the marginalized farmers to come together and claim their rights.

Sheikh Nasir Uddin said, the bureaucrats who run on the VAT tax money of our farmers are torturing us. They are creating Begum Paras by swindling money through syndicates in various ways, sending their children abroad to study, and oppressing us. They are not being tried and the farmers cannot grow crops and make a profit because of the syndicates.

They are not being tried for committing suicide because they are unable to repay their loans. They have started a joke in the name of reform. It has been 7 months since the country became an agricultural country, but there is still no outline for the reform of the farmers. We, including the Chief Advisor, have been demanding an agricultural and land commission at various times in various departments to implement the agricultural commission, but no one is paying any attention yet, everyone is busy with power.

The president of the human chain, farmer Masum, raised three demands. The demands include potato farmers should be given a subsidy on the rent of cold storage ; government assistance should be provided to build more cold storages for storing onions, potatoes and vegetables and permanent agricultural commission should be established.