Investigation finds Tangail man at centre of controversy is eligible for a Farmer Card

Farmer Kabir Hossain, who stirred controversy regarding his eligibility after speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Farmer Card distribution in Tangail, is eligible to receive the card, an investigation has found.

Tangail Deputy Commissioner Sharifa Haque sent a letter to the Ministry of Agriculture on Wednesday saying Kabir is eligible for the card based on the report from an investigation committee formed to probe the matter.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the “Farmer Card” programme on Apr 14 by sending Tk 2,500 to the mobile phones of 22,000 marginal farmers across the country.

Farmer Kabir spoke at the event organised at Shaheed Maruf Stadium in Tangail, reacting after receiving the allowance.

That day several pictures of him – in which he is sitting in a private car, swimming in a pool and travelling abroad – went viral on social media, prompting accusations that he was not actually eligible for the government allowance. Some claimed that the pictures were made with AI.

The incident sparked widespread discussion and debate as the Farmer Card states that only landless, marginal and small farmers will get it. The card allows farmers to buy various agricultural inputs, including fertiliser, seeds, fish or animal feed using the Point of Sale (POS) machine of the concerned dealer.

The letter sent by the Tangail deputy commissioner said that doubts had been raised on social media regarding Kabir's receipt of the Farmer Card as a marginal farmer. A five-member investigation committee was formed on Wednesday to uncover the truth.

The letter said that the investigation committee conducted an on-site investigation and submitted a report. The report states that Kabir Hossain is eligible to receive the farmer card as a marginal farmer according to the “Farmer Smart Card Policy 2025”.