Dhaka, April 22 -- Farmers in the haor region of Sunamganj are growing increasingly anxious about securing fair prices for their Boro paddy as harvesting continues in full swing across the district.

Although the government has fixed the procurement price at Tk 1,400 per maund, growers are alarmed by alleged price manipulation by organised syndicates and are urging authorities to dismantle these rackets. Local farmers and agricultural leaders argue that if the government purchases paddy directly from remote areas in larger volumes, it would compel middlemen and rice millers to offer fairer prices-ultimately benefiting the producers.

As of Saturday, 24 percent of the Boro crop-across both haor and non-haor areas-has been harvested.

But, ...