"We're worried about the prevailing situation and whether the farmers will get the subsidy in time," Jatiya Party lawmaker GM Quader, a member of the parliamentary standing committee on agriculture ministry, said following a committee meeting yesterday.

"We have seen the government to offer fertilise subsidies at a time when the farmers don't need to use fertiliser," he added.

Following the rise in price of diesel by Tk 3 a litre, the government agreed in principle to provide subsidies on diesel for agricultural usage. And the agriculture ministry in a letter on January 1 requested the Finance Division for the Tk 381-crore subsidy.

In response, the finance ministry said it would decide the matter after the Eid-ul Azha. But the decision is yet to come.

"We're trying our best to get the money for the farm subsidy. But the progress is very slow," a source quoted State Minister for Agriculture Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as telling the committee meeting held at Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Bhaban.

Officials of the agriculture ministry informed the meeting they have planned to distribute the diesel subsidy, once allotted, according to block supervisors' reports. The ministry has already instructed the supervisors to send in their reports detailing the number of farmers and area of lands to get the benefits.

Quader however expressed his doubt on the system, which he said would fail to make a positive impact due to prevailing irregularities. He apprehended that "only ruling party-backed farmers will be enlisted and get the benefits." Instead, he suggested reducing the price of diesel.

Committee chairman Abdul Mannan told the agriculture ministry to closely monitor the distribution process of the diesel subsidy to prevent irregularities.