The Anti-Corruption Commission has detected incidents of corruption, including realising bribes from farmers, in the process of direct paddy and rice procurement from growers by the government.
‘A section of government employees and locally influential quarters are involved in realising bribes and committing other irregularities in the process of procuring rice and paddy directly from farmers,’ ACC chairman Iqbal Mahmood said in an email to reporters.
He said that the ACC intelligence wing and other sources gathered the information without elaborating.
The government is procuring boro paddy directly from growers with the aim of benefiting them during the COVID-19 crisis.
The ACC chairman said that he had sent an emergency message to all its filed offices to keep an eye on the direct procurement of rice and paddy.
The officials will ensure a strong monitoring of the procurement process so that the farmers would be relieved form the pressure of the local influential groups and corrupt government officials, he said.
He also said that the ACC officers were asked to conduct special drives in the areas where procurement was going on.
They were also asked to take legal action against those involved in corrupt practices, he added.
