Agriculture Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury spoke at the Agriculture Ministry in the Bangladesh Secretariat today. Photo: PID

DHAKA, Dec 7, 2025 (BSS)- Agriculture Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today warned that agriculture officers will be sacked if they are found involved in manipulating onion price.

“Any agriculture officer to be found involved in manipulating price of the onions, will be removed from services,” he said.

The adviser issued the warning after an emergency meeting with all district agriculture officers at the Agriculture Ministry in the Bangladesh Secretariat. 

The meeting was convened following the sudden spike in onion prices.

The adviser said, the country has sufficient stock of onion. But manipulation of a section of unscrupulous people caused price spiral of onion.

He noted that prices rose by Taka 40–45 per kilogram yesterday but fell today after the government allowed limited onion imports beginning December 7 (today) to stabilize the market. 

“We have to find out the ring. It will not take more time if media helps us to identify the culprits,” he noted.

Jahangir Alam said, “We have to look into the benefits of both farmers and the consumers. So we have to maintain balance, he said adding that “If the onion is sold at Taka 70 per kg, the interest of both the farmers and consumers is served.”

The adviser also said the government is considering subsidies for potato farmers, who suffered due to significant price fall. 

Jahangir Alam said there is no fertilizer shortage in the country. Supply of fertilizer for tobacco farming will be controlled as part of government’s decision to discourage tobacco cultivation.

He urged people to remain vigilant against use of fertilizer in cattle and fish farming which has posed serious danger to public health.