Allegations of corruption, nepotism and cash-for-favours in the appointment of chemical fertiliser dealers triggered a stormy session in parliament on Wednesday, with opposition and treasury bench lawmakers trading accusations and shouting at each other, bringing the question-and-answer session to a virtual standstill.
The uproar began when National Citizen Party (NCP) MP Abul Hasnat confronted Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid with newspaper reports alleging widespread irregularities in the appointment process.
He accused the administration of favouring ruling party lawmakers’ relatives, including their sons, brothers-in-law and other family members, in awarding lucrative dealerships across the country.
Citing Thakurgaon’s appointments, Hasnat said 28 of the 31 newly appointed fertiliser dealers were affiliated with the BNP, including 10 who were the wives, children and nieces of senior party leaders.
He also alleged that reserved-seat MPs had systematically issued demi-official (DO) recommendation letters in exchange for bribes as part of a nationwide dealership allocation drive.
Questioning the ministry’s selection criteria, he further asked whether the rules had been designed to allow businessmen previously associated with the Awami League to regain lucrative business opportunities.
“I want a specific answer from the honourable minister as to when this practice will be stopped,” Hasnat said, demanding an immediate review of the recent dealership appointments.
Tensions escalated when Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid defended the appointment process, saying the government wanted it to take place in a “festive atmosphere”. His remarks drew immediate protests from opposition lawmakers.
“He has said there has been a festival over fertiliser dealerships. We want it to be a festival, and people to take it as a festival,” the minister said, seeking to clarify that he had used the term in a positive sense.
As opposition MPs shouted in protest, treasury bench members responded with counter-shouting, turning the chamber into a scene of disorder.
Appealing for calm, the minister said he was new to the cabinet post and asked lawmakers to refrain from cross-talk. “If you are not satisfied with my answer, I will take another question and give another answer,” he added.
Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal intervened, seeking the cooperation of the opposition chief whip to restore order.
Explaining the appointment procedure, the minister said two screening committees, one at the upazila level and another at the district level, had been formed to scrutinise applications against prescribed criteria. Applications vetted at the upazila level were forwarded to Deputy Commissioners’ offices for further examination by district committees.
Local MPs, he said, had only an advisory role, while final approval rested with the ministry.
“This was not done on the signature of one individual,” he said, insisting that the multi-tiered process prevented unilateral decisions.
However, his explanation failed to satisfy the opposition, whose members continued demanding the floor.
Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni rejected the allegations of financial kickbacks, challenging lawmakers to submit concrete evidence to the minister or discuss any proof directly with him. He also demanded that the allegations be expunged from the parliamentary record if no evidence could be produced.
With opposition MPs continuing to protest, the speaker declined to give them the floor and moved on to the next item on the parliamentary agenda.
